UPPARY  or  PRINCETON 

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MAY  2  1  2002 

THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

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THE 


®0ttver0i0tt  0f  ©luldten. 


CAN  IT  BE  EFFECTED  ?    HOW  YOUNG  ? 

WILL  THEY  REMAIN  STEADFAST  ?    WHAT  MEANS  TO  BE  USED  ? 

WHEN  TO  BE  RECEIVED  AND  HOW  TRAINED  IN  THE   CHURCH? 


REV.  EDWARD  PA YSON  HAMMOND,  M.A., 

AUTHOR  OF   "  CHULDREN  ANO  JESUS,"   "  SKETCHES  OF  PALESTINE," 

"  BETTER  LIFE,"    "  JESUS,  THE  LAKE  OF  GOD,  '    "  GATHERED 

IAMBS,"   "GOLDEN  GLEANDCGS,"    "  JESUS  AND  THE 

LITTLE  ONES,"   "  THE  CHILD'S  GUIDE  TO 

HEAV£N,"   AM.  ED.    "  THE  BLOOD 

OF  JS3US,"    ETC- 


INTRODUCTION  BY  REV.  J.  E.  RANKEN,  D.D., 

PASTOR  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH,  WASHINGTON,  D.  0. 

REPRINT  OF  ENGLISH  EDITION. 


"HuJ^er  little  children  to  come  unto  Me,  and  forbid  them  not:  for  o/suck 
is  the  kingdom  0/  God." — Luke  xviii.  16. 


NEW    YORK: 

FUNK  &  WAGNALLS,  Publishers, 

10  6^  J 2  DEV  STREET. 


Copyrignt. 
5^  Funk  &  Wagnalli^ 

1882. 


^ebitatiou. 


TO  THB  MIKISTEBS,  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHEE3  AND  CHKISTIAK 

■W0RKEB3   vain  WHOM  IT  HAS  BEEN  OUR  PBIVILEGE,  IN 

THIS  COUNXaT  AN»   GREAT  BRITAIN,   TO   LABOR         ' 

WITH  THE  HELP  OF  GOD  IN  WINNING 

THE  LITTLE   ONES  TO  JESUS, 

Z^H  ^olnmt  IS   giffectionalflg   gcirualtb 


THE    AUTHOR, 


INTRO  D  UCTION 


HILDREN  are  converted,  just  as  adults 
are.  The  child  is  father  of  the  man. 
We  love  God  because  He  first  loved  us. 
It  is  not  philosophy  that  shows  us  that 
God  has  loved  us,  it  is  Christ  Jesus,  and  Him  cruci- 
fied. This  the  child  can  see,  even  more  clearly  than 
the  adult.  The  nearer  we  are  to  birth,  the  nearer 
are  we  to  the  new  birth.  The  oldest,  the  wisest,  has 
to  enter  Christ's  kingdom  as  a  little  child.  This  not 
only  means  that  he  is  to  come  in  a  child-like  spirit, 
but  also  that  the  method  of  coming  is  the  same  : 
that  is,  that  there  is  the  same  inward  process. 


I  remember  a  child  who  heard  a  sermon  ad- 
dressed to  adults  on  the  text — '*  Behold,  I  stand  at 
the  door,  and  knock."  After  service  he  took  to  his 
father  a  rude  drawing  of  a  kingly  personage,  knock- 
ing for  admission  at  a  closed  door.  The  father  saw 
the  impression  made  by  the  truth,  and  kissing  his 
son  tenderly,  said,  ^' That  is  it,  m.y  boy,  let  Him 
in  !"  It  is  the  philosophic  Vinet  who  says  of  the 
Bible  :    *'  It  is  sometimes   urged  that  this   antique 


vi  INTRODUCTION. 

and  oriental  book  refuses  to  assimilate  itself  with 
the  modern  forms  of  thought.  Without  one  aid  of 
archaeology  the  child  understands  the  Bible  as  he 
does  the  talk  of  his  playfellow.  This  language  of 
the  childhood  of  the  nations,  seems  made  for  human 
children.  The  child  does  better  than  understand — 
these  narratives  are  his  delight.  The  Author  of  the 
Bible  is  our  Master  in  this  also.  Who  could  have 
so  well  spread  honey  on  the  edge  of  this  cup  offered 
to  all  men,  at  the  bottom  of  which  childhood  finds 
nothing  bitter?" 

Every  child  that  is  old  enough  to  sin,  is  old 
enough  to  be  conscious  of  sin  ;  and  the  conscious- 
ness of  sin  always  prepares  the  way  for  the  Saviour. 
And  when  a  Saviour  is  presented,  the  child  seizes 
hold  of  the  idea,  just  as  the  man  does.  A  drowning 
child  will  struggle  for  life,  will  catch  at  straws  even, 
just  as  the  man  will.  It  would  be  a  strange  thing  if, 
when  so  large  a  proportion  of  children  die  in  infancy 
or  childhood,  the  plan  of  salvation  were  so  beyond 
their  apprehension  that  they  could  not  lay  hold  of 
it.  God  has  done  all.  A  man  can  add  nothing  to 
it.     And  when  a  child  says  : 

"Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea, 
But  that  Thy  blood  was  shed  for  me, 
And  that  Thou  bidst  me  come  to  Thee, 
O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come," 

it  means  just  as  much  as  though  said  by  a  philoso- 
pher.    It  may  mean  more.      For  it  often  takes  many 


IN  TROD  UCTIOX.  vii 

years,  and  many  severe  trials,  to  bring  manhood 
back  to  spiritual  childhood.  One  of  the  best  defini- 
tions of  faith  once  fell  from  the  lips  of  one  of  these 
little  ones.  She  was  asked  how  she  became  a 
Christian.  Her  reply  was,  ''I  just  took  my  heart 
to  Jesus,  and  left  it  there." 

It  was  not  m.any  months  since  that  we  received 
to  our  communion  a  lady  who  was  converted  in 
childhood  at  one  of  Mr.  Ham.mond's  meetings  for 
children  in  the  West.  He  could  have  no  higher 
honor  than  this  title — "Children's  Evangelist."  I 
think  he  deserves  this  title,  if  for  nothing  else,  for 
his  advocacy  of  the  possibility  of  a  child's  conversion 
as  against  all  evil  hearts  of  unbelief.  But,  in  addi- 
tion to  this,  I  believe  there  are  multitudes  of  children, 
in  this  and  other  lands,  who  will  rise  up  in  heaven 
and  call  him  blessed,  because  he  taught  them  the 
way  of  life,  through  the  blood  of  Christ. 

I  have  read  some  of  the  adv^ance  slips  of  this 
book.  To  some  of  the  facts  I  could  myself  attest. 
And  I  am  very  happy  thus  to  associate  my  name 
with  the  author  of  it  ;  so  tenderly  remembered  as 
he  is,  in  so  many  places,  especially  by  the  lambs  of 
the  Saviour's  flock.  And  if  there  is  any  prayer  of 
mine  that  could  help  him,  I  think  it  would  be,  that 
he  may  learn  more  and  more  of  his  Master  how  to 
feed  these  lambs.  This  prayer  I  offer,  as  I  finish 
these  words  of  introduction. 

J.  E.  RANKIN. 

Washington,  D.  C,  Sept.  i8th,  1877. 


INTRODUCTORY    NOTE    FROM    DR. 
A.  H.  BURLINGHAM. 


Paterson,  N.  J.,  Oct.  15,  1877. 

Rev.  E.  p.  Hammond. 

My  Dear  Bro.  :  From  the  depths  of  my  heart 
I  am  thankful  that  you  are  about  to  pubHsh  a  book 
upon  the  conversion  of  children.  It  is  a  subject  of 
great  importance  and  about  which  there  ought  to  be 
no  faithlessness.  I  can  never  cease  to  be  grateful  to 
you  for  your  successful  efforts  in  behalf  of  the 
children  in  St.  Louis.  Many  children  at  that  time 
came  into  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  of  which  I 
was  then  pastor,  and  the  record  as  to  durability  and 
fidelity  as  Christians  will  compare  more  than  fa- 
vorably with  that  of  any  hke  number  of  adults  I 
have  ever  received  into  any  church.  Let  us  save 
the  children  before  they  come  to  be  hardened  and 
gnarled. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

A.  H.  BURLINGHAM, 

Fastor  First  Baptist  Church,  Paterson,  N.  J, 


PREFACE. 

OR  nearly  thirty  years  my  attention  has 
been  especially  directed  to  children.    A 
large  portion  of   my  time  has  been 
spent  among  them, 

I  have  been  repeatedly  asked  to  write  out 
for  adults  a  book  embodying  some  of  the 
results  of  my  observations  among  the  Httle 
ones.  In  doing  so,  I  have  reached  beyond  my 
own  sphere  of  labour  as  much  as  possible  for 
facts  bearing  upon  the  different  points  dis- 
cussed,  so  that  I  might  avoid  the  appearance  of 
defending  my  own  method  of  labour  among 
the  children. 

Had  it  been  possible,  I  should  gladly  have 
omitted  all  reference  to  the  especial  work  to 
which  I  believe  the  Lord  has  called  me. 


xii  PREFACE, 

And  yet  it  is  because  of  my  experience  in 
this  direction  that  I  have  been  asked  to  write 
this  book. 

The  illustrations  and  incidents  used  are,  I 
believe,  from  reliable  sources. 

I  can  but  feel  grateful  to  those  whose 
prayers,  with  mine,  are  ascending  to  God,  that 
His  rich  blessing  may  attend  this  humble  effort, 
which  has  been  put  forth  for  His  glory. 

E.  PAYSON  HAMMOND, 
Vkb-non,  Connecticut,  U.S»A« 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  L 
THE  CONVERSION  OP  CHILDREN, 

••Good  chfldren"  in  Sunday-school  books — Establishment  cl  Chil- 
dren's Special  Service  Mission — Opinions  of  ministers  on  the  con- 
version of  children — Special  work  among  children — Revival  at 
Musselburgh— Dr.  Lindsay  Alexander— His  address  at  Glasgo-.v— 
"Greetin'  about  his  sins" — Dr.  Joel  Parker's  address— Satan's 
devices — "  I've  lost  my  bat  I " — Fifty  anxious  children— 1  he 
Sunday-school  superintendent — Children  praying— The  superin- 
tendent convinced— Matthew  Henry — Meetings  at  Weston -super.  .  ^ 
Mare—*'  Because  I  love  Jesus"— Offending  the  little  ones    •       •      i 

CHAPTER  II. 

HOW  EARLY  MAY  CHILDREN  BE  LED  TO  CHRISTf 

Love  foT  earthly  parents— Bushnell's  "Christian  Nurture  "—Con- 
verted children  will  be  children  still — '*  Train  up  a  child  in  the 
way  he  should  go " — Inconsistent  parents — Mr.  J.  Denham 
Smith's  meetings  in  Dublin — Cleansing  the  heart — "  Ever  since  I 
was  a  little  boy" — The  Gospel  about  children — "Jesus  wants 
"urn" — "Jesus  of  Nazareth passeth  by  " — The  Gambler — Teachers 
should  strive  fcr  immediate  conversion — Little  Eliza — Her  father's 
letter     •••••  ••••••    I9 


xlv  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  III. 
WILL  CHILDREN  CONTINUE  STEADFAST? 

PAGl 

When  can  we  say  children  are  really  converted  ? — Personal  experience 
— Dr.  Prime's  "Five  Years  of  Prayer"— Hon.  and  Rev.  Baptist 
Noel — Revival  at  John  Street  Chapel,  London— Dividing  the 
converted  from  the  unconverted — Children  continuing  steadfast — 
Letter  from  Dr.  J.  O.  Fiske— Rev.  William  Taylor's  work  among 
children  in  Africa — Children's  prayer  meetings — "  I've  found 
Jesus  I  "  —  The  force  of  example  —  Children  suffering  persecu- 
tion— "rU  shoot  you" — Obedience  to  parents— Rev.  Dr.  Todd— 
Dr.  Campbell— The  conversion  of  Phoebe  Bartlett— Children's 
letters — The  two  sisters — A  large  number  continue  steadfast- 
Examples  of  early  conversion  among  the  early  Christians — Hymn 
by  a  child       •••••••••••37 

CHAPTER  IV. 

HOW  CAN  CHILDREN  BE  LED  TO  JESUS f 

How  to  speak  to  children — The  general  address— Dealing  with  them 
individually— Rev.  Robert  McCheyne — Straying  lambs         •       #63 

CHAPTER  V. 

PREACHING  TO  CHILDREN. 

t  e  secret  of  successful  preaching— Dr.  Tyng— Counting  the  rafters- 
Securing  the  attention— Belief  of  the  early  Church — An  address  to 
children — The  guide  to  heaven— The  Maze  at  Hampton  Court— 
The  Catacombs — Lost  in  London — A  boy's  letter — What  is  a  new 
heart  ? — From  Gethsemane  to  Calvary— Going  up  without  a  guide 
—Lost  in  the  snow— Frozen  to  death — A  wonderful  boy — Prayer 
—The  Children's  band — Rev.  Newman  Hall — Impressions  not 
transitoiy  ••••••••••68 

CHAPTER  VI. 

HOW  EARLY  MA  Y  CONVERTED  CHILDREN  JOIN 

THE  CHURCH? 

''ceding  the  lambs — Obeying  all  Christ's  commands — A  child  puzzling 
the  pastor — Mr.  Spurgeon — Dr.  Shaw — Expecting  too  much — "A 
reason  for  the  hope  that  is  in  them  " — A  children's  Church — Rev. 
Richard  Fuller— Dr.  Henry  Clay  Fisli  —A  great  mistake — Little 
Martlia — Your  own  liule  Mary — Cbribt  and  the  little  ones     •        •    Q4 


CONTENTS.  XV 

CHAPTER  Vir, 
THE  INFLUENCE  OF  CHILDRETf, 

FACE 

Rov/land  W.  Diller's  narrative — Pointing  me  out — Freed  from  strong 
drink — "Don't  you  love  him  for  that,  father?" — Child  influence 
in  prayer — "Can't  you  pray  for  me?" — The  gamb'er  and  his 
child— A  deep  thrust — Children  at  work  for  Christ — A  child's 
faith — Carrie  and  her  fat  her- A  mother  led  to  Christ  by  her  little 
boy — A  child's  words  blessed— Praying  children — Papa,  how  old 
are  you? — A  distillery  broken  up  by  a  child's  influence — A  father 
and  mother  converted — The  stowaway — Ti:e  child  and  the  infidel 
—The  infidel  lawyer— The  little  crippb  .       ,       ,       «       •III 


CHAPTER  Vni. 

TESTIMONIES  ABOUT  THE  IVOEK"  AND  FROM 
CHILDREN  THEMSELVES. 

Children's  Letters— Hon.  and  Rev,  Baptist  Noel — "Bring  them  to 
Jesus" — Extract  from  "The  Christian" — Letters — Child's  faith 

in  prayer— Letter  from  a  blind  child— Deaf  and  dumb  children 

••  If  I  am  not  a  saint,  I  am  a  sinner" — Speaking  to  children  indi- 
vidually—Filled tumblers— Mr.  John  Sand i— Perse Jut ion — Con- 
ficence  in  Christ— Stiug-gle  uith  Satan — The  covenant — Eila's 
victory— The  house  of  Refuge— Jacksonville  Institution  for  Deaf 
and  Dumb—"  It's  your  last  chance "—"  Can't  we  have  a  prayer- 
meeting  ?'*«•• 


X3a 


CHAPTER  IX. 
TESTIMONIES  FROM  MINISTERS, 

Testimonies  from  Rev.  C.  H.  Spurgeon— Rev.  Ezra  Tinker— Rer, 
Richard  Newton — Rev.  A.  A.  Bonar— Rev.  Wm.  S.  Plumer— 
Dr.  F.  H.  Helraer— Revival  among  the  little  ones— President  P, 
A.  Chadbourne— Rev.  Dr.  Pease— Rev.  F.  B.  Shaw— Mr.  Williara 
Reynold*— Rev.  E.  F.  Hatfield— Rev.  I.  N.  Carman     ,        .    "'.  153 


,  THE  CONVERSION  OF  CHILDREN. 


CHAPTER  L 


THE  CONVERSION  OF  CHILDREN. 

'SUFPSR  LITTLE  CHILDREN,  AMD  FORBID  THEM  NOT,    TO  COMB  UNTO 
MS  ;  FOR  OF  SUCH  IS  THE  KINGDOM  OF  HEAVEN." 

Matt,  xix.  14. 

REQUENTLY,  in  my  travels,  I  have  held  con- 
versations something  like  the  following  with  the 
children  whom  I  have  chanced  to  meet  in  the 
raihvay  trains  and  elsewhere  : 

**  Are  you  a  Christian,  my  dear  child  ?^ 
«  No,  sir." 

"Would  you  not  like  to  be  one?" 
_.  "No,  sir." 
"What!  not  like  to  be  a  Christian,  and  love  the  dear 
Saviour,  and  so  go  home  to  heaven  when  you  die  ?  *• 
"  No,  sh-." 

"Why  not,  may  I  ask?" 

"  Because,  when  I  have  read  of  the  conversion  of  chil- 
dren in  our  Sunday-school  books,  I  have  found  that  they 
all  die  not  very  long  after  their  conversion ;  and  /  do  not 
want  to  die  now ;  I  want  to  live  to  grow  up  I  am  ahuost 
sure  I  should  die  if  I  were  to  become  a  Christian,  for  I 


m  SUNDA  Y.SCHOOL  BOOKS, 

never  heard  or  read  of  any  children  who  were  converted 
as  young  as  I  am,  who  lived  to  grow  up  to  be  men  and 
women." 

It  is  perfectly  astonishing  how  this  idea  has  prevailed 
among  children  all  over  the  land  where  our  Sunday-school 
books  are  read.  I  believe  that  a  vast  number  of  books  of 
this  kind  are  doing  far  more  harm  than  they  are  doing 
good. 

Many  grown-up  people,  as  well  as  children,  have  almost 
intuitively  come  to  have  the  same  idea  of  the  probability  of 
the  early  death  of  Christian  children. 

Others,  again,  believe  it  is  possible  for  children  to  be 
converted,  one  here  and  another  there  ;  but  that  it  is  hope- 
less to  expect  that  a  great  number  of  children  in  any  Sunday- 
school,  or  church,  or  comnmnity,  will  be  regenerated  by  the 
power  of  God,  and  saved  in  early  childhood  from  a  life 
of  sin. 

I  thank  God  that  President  Edwards  had  the  boldness  to 
write  an  account  of  the  conversion  of  Phcebe  Bartlett  when 
only  four  years  of  age.  I  have  no  doubt  many  thought  him 
very  injudicious,  and  in  danger  of  spoiling  the  child.  Very 
likely  there  was  some  such  danger ;  but  is  there  not  more 
danger  in  the  direction  to  which  I  have  alluded  ?  I 

Last  winter,  in  Syracuse,  New  York,  I  met  the  grand- 
daughter of  this  same  Phoebe  Bartlett,  an  earnest  Christian 
lady,  who  related  to  me  the  account  of  the  conversion  of 
her  grandmother.  So  Phoebe  Bartlett  certainly  did  not  die 
in  childhood,  for  she  lived  to  be  seventy  years  of  age.* 

One  object  in  writing  this  book  has  been  the  hope  of 
doing  away  with  the  erroneous  impression  to  which  we  have 
referred,  that  converted  children  die  young;  and  to  encourage 
God's  people  to  labour  eai*nestly  for  the  salvation  of  the  little 
ones  in  lai-ge  numbers,  not  only  in  their  own  families,  but  ia 
•  See  pages  53  55, 


THE  CHILDREN'S  MISSION,  0 

Sunday-schools  and  in  meetings  specially  held  for  the  pur- 
pose. As  the  result  of  our  visit  to  London  in  1867-8,  the 
Children's  Special  Service  Mission  was  inaugurated  ; 
and  it  has  continued  now  for  ten  years  to  carry  on  the 
work  among  children  in  different  parts  of  Great  Britain. 

Many  of  those  who  are  well  adapted  to  the  labour  of 
winning  children  to  Christ  have  connected  themselves 
with  this  Mission.  Year  after  year,  in  the  different  parts 
of  Great  Britain  and  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  they 
have  toiled  on,  carr}ang  out  the  plan  of  labour  to  which 
reference  will  be  made  in  these  pages ;  and  it  is  safe  to  say 
that  hundreds,  if  not  thousands,  have  by  them  been  led 
to  Christ.  This  Mission  has  its  annual  meetings,  printed 
reports,  and  its  organization  is  as  permanent  as  that  of  the 
American  Home  Missionar)'  Society. 

During  His  hfe  on  earth,  the  Lord  Jesus  said,  "Suffer 
little  children  to  come  unto  Me,  and  forbid  them  not" 
(Luke  xviii.  16).  But  can  it  be  said  in  this  our  day  that 
any  great  anxiety  is  manifested  concerning  the  salvation  of 
children  ?  Are  children  in  very  large  numbers  brought  to 
Christ?  We  fear  it  is  too  evident  that  they  are  not; 
and  the  reason  no  doubt  is,  that  many  Christians  have  no 
correct  views  upon  the  subject.  They  may  admit  that  it  is 
possible  for  one  here  and  another  there,  some  specially  pre- 
cocious child,  to  be  born  into  the  fold  of  Christ,  but  that 
they  may  be  brought  in  in  great  numbers  they  do  not 
^  believe.  Certainly  it  would  be  strange  if  men  should  prac- 
tically aim  at  what  they  have  no  faith  in  being  able  to 
accomplish. 

We  cannot  be  too  thankful  for  the  Sunday-schools, 
which  have  accomplished  a  great  v/ork  among  the  children. 
But  are  not  many  parents  and  teachers  satisfied  with  giving 
mental  instniction,  hoping  that  at  some  future  time  the  seed 
sown  will  spring  up  and  bear  fruit;  not  realizing  that  those 


4  DR.  D  WIGHT'S  OPINION. 

under  their  charge  are  exposed  to  the  shafts  of  death  every 
hour?  And  is  it  not  true  of  a  child,  as  of  a  man,  that 
except  he  be  born  again  he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of 
God? 

Dr.  Dwight,  for  twenty-one  years  President  of  Yale 
College,  in  his  two  sermons  on  "Religious  Education," 
speaking  of  the  desirability  of  labouring  for  the  -  early  con- 
version of  children,  says : 

**  The  conscience  is,  at  this  period,  exceedingly  tender 
and  susceptible,  rendily  alarmed  by  the  apprehension  of 
guilt,  and  prepared  to  contend  or  fly  at  the  approach  of  a 
known  temptation.  All  the  affections  also  are  easily  moved, 
and  are  fit  to  retain  permanently,  and  often  indelibly,  what- 
ever impressions  are  made.  The  heart  is  soft,  gentle,  and 
easily  won,  strongly  attached  by  kindness,  and  peculiarly  to 
the  parents  themselves.  To  every  amiable,  every  good  thing, 
it  is  drawn,  comparatively  without  trouble  or  resistance,  and 
united  by  bonds  which  no  future  art  or  force  can  dissolve. 
Against  every  odious  and  bad  thing  its  opposition  is  v/ith 
equal  ease  excited  and  rendered  permanent."  * 

Rev.  John  Todd  says :  "  When  can  the  conscience  be 
reached,  if  not  in  childhood  ?  When  has  God  promised 
that  the  soul  shall  find  Him,  if  not  when  He  is  sought 
early?  When  will  the  Holy  Spirit  im.prcss  the  heart  which 
you  are  labouring  to  subdue,  if  not  when  it  is  the  heart  of  a 
child?" 

Dr.  Iren?sus  Prime,  in  his  **  Five  Years  of  Prayer,"  says : 
•*  One  of  the  characteristics  of  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  upon  the  churches  in  these  latter  days,  and  one 
which  proves  the  blessing  to  be  from  the  same  Spirit  that 
indited  the  pages  of  the  Divine  Word,  is  to  be  found  in  the 
fact  that  *  the  hearts  of  fathers  are  turned  to  their  children ' 
in  seeking,  and  praying,  and  looking,  for  their  conversion. 

•  D wight's  Theology t  voU  v.  p.  13U 


SPECIAL  WORK  AMONG  CHILDRE19.  5 

There  has  been  a  great  want  of  faith  in  this  respect  on  the 
part  of  the  Church.  Children — those  of  tender  years — have 
been  too  much  regarded,  and  treated,  as  if  they  were  not 
capable  of  conversion ;  as  if  the  Spirit  of  God  must  leave 
them,  amid  all  the  perils  that  surround  them,  until  they 
have  arrived  at  maturity ;  but  this  feeling  is  passing  away. 
This  unbelief,  which  limits  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  is  giving 
way  to  better  views  and  stronger  faith.  The  instances  of 
early  piety,  and  of  youthful  devotion  to  the  service  of  Christ, 
are  so  many  and  so  truthful,  that  none  can  doubt." 

For  thirty  years  it  has  been  my  privilege  to  labour 
directly  for  the  conversion  of  children. 

Though  but  a  boy  when  I  was  first  led  to  know  the  "  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus,"  I  began  at  once  to  work  among  the  Httle 
ones.  Nothing  made  me  so  happy  as  to  see  children 
giving  evidence  of  having  experienced  a  change  of  heart 
through  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

During  my  preparatory  collegiate  and  theological  course, 
I  was  in  the  habit  of  holding  meetings  in  adjacent  cities  and 
villages,  with  the  direct  object  of  leading  the  young  as  v;ell 
as  the  old  to  Christ. 

Thus  many  interesting  facts  with  regard  to  the  conversion 
of  children  have  naturally  come  to  my  knowledge.  I  have 
been  repeatedly  asked  to  gather  those  facts  into  a  book, 
which,  with  God's  blessing,  would  strengthen  the  faith  of 
His  people,  especially  of  parents  and  Sunday-school 
teachers,  and  lead  them  to  labour  immediately  for  the 
salvation  of  the  little  ones,  as  much  and  even  more  than 
if  they  had  spent  many  years  in  sin. 

While  in  Edinburgh,  in  1859,  I  became  acquainted 
with  the  Rev.  Dr.  \V.  Lindsay  Alexander,  a  man  ol  great 
learning  and  influence.  A  letter  of  introduction  to  him 
from  his  old  friend,  Dr.  Thomas  H,  Skinner,  of  New  York, 


^  DR.  ALEXANDER'S  ADDRESS, 

induced  him  to  send  me  down  to  Musselburgh,  to  supply 
the  pulpit,  while  pursuing  my  studies  in  the  Free  Church 
College. 

I  there  found  some  earnest,  praying  Christians,  who 
desired  to  see  sinners  converted.  Ere  long,  in  ansv/er  to 
their  supplications,  the  power  of  God's  Spirit  was  manifested, 
and  many  children  and  adults  were  asking  what  they  should 
do  to  be  saved. 

Dr.  Alexander  became  somewhat  alarmed  lest  the  v/ork 
should  not  be  genuine.  He  attended  one  of  the  services, 
but  refused  to  remain  in  the  inquiry  meeting,  where  many 
were  seeking  the  way  of  life.  Though  he  had  himself 
preached  that  night  a  most  excellent  sermon,  yet  this  indi- 
vidual work  vras  something  new  to  him ;  he  therefore  passed 
on  to  the  vestry  for  his  hat  and  overcoat. 

The  church  that  night  was  so  crowded  that  many  of  the 
children  could  not  get  in.  They  therefore  held  a  meetirig  in 
the  adjoining  room,  where  Dr.  Alexander  had  left  his  hat. 

Humanly  speaking,  my  future  history  v/as  influenced  by 
that  miceting  of  children.  For  ten  years  I  had  fully  pur- 
posed being  a  missionary  in  Bulgaria,  but  the  work  of  that 
evening  directed  my  hfe  into  another  channel. 

Through  the  influence  of  that  one  meeting  in  that  little 
room,  as  it  will  soon  be  seen,  Dr.  Alexander  v»'as  led  to 
realize  that  the  work  was  of  God.  He  published  lengthy 
accounts  of  it,  which  led  to  my  remaining  two  and  a  hal 
years  in  Great  Britain,  and  thus  to  my  devoting  my  life  to 
"do  the  work  of  an  evangelist." 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Congregational  Union  at 
Glasgow,  in  ]\Iay,  i860,  he  delivered  an  address  giving  a 
full  account  of  the  worli,  from  which  I  make  an  extract : 

"  What  I  am  about  to  state  has  been  found  interesting 
to  Christian  people  in  other  places,  and  I  have  no  doubt  it 
will  be  found  interesting  to  every  Christian  present  this 


*^A   WHEEN  O*  US  LASSIES,"  j 

evening.  I  will  give  expression  to  one  or  two  feelings  that 
have  been  excited  in  my  mind  with  regard  to  the  Mussel- 
burgh meeting. 

"  The  first  thing  that  struck  me  in  going  out  was  the 
increased  number  of  attendants.  I  went  out  upon  a  week 
evening,  and  preached  in  a  place  where  I  hardly  ever  saw  a 
full  house  upon  the  Sabbatti,  and  found  myself  called  on  to 
address  a  congregation  that  crowded  the  place  from  wall 
\o  wall,  and  even  filled  up  the  steps  leading  to  the  pulpit. 
That  struck  me  as  very  remarkable,  and  it  immediately 
satisfied  my  mind  that  some  very  great  work  was  going  on 
there. 

"  Another  thing  that  struck  me  very  much  was  the 
multitude  of  young  persons,  of  children,  who  were  in  the 
meeting,  and  who  seemed  interested  in  the  work.  I  confess 
I  had  something  of  an  unbelieving  state  of  mind  on  that 
subject  Having  never  come  in  contact  myself  with  any- 
thing of  the  kind,  I  frankly  confess  I  had  not  just  the  same 
cordial  belief  in  the  conversion  of  very  young  children  as  I 
have  now.  I  happened  to  leave  my  great-coat  in  one  of  the 
small  vestries.  When  I  went  to  the  door  for  it,  I  found  it 
bolted.  I  was  going  to  retire,  when  the  door  opened,  and  a 
very  little  girl  appeared.  I  asked  if  there  was  anybody  in. 
She  said,  *Yes,  sir.'  Whispering,  I  said,  *I  was  gohig  in 
for  my  great-coat,  but  I  will  not  disturb  you ;  but  who  is 
here  ?  *  She  said,  *  A  wheen  o'  us  lassies.'  I  said,  *  I  will 
not  go  in  then ;  could  you  get  me  my  coat  ?  *  She  said, 
*  It 's  hei-e,  sir  ;  but  I  canna  get  up  to't.'  I  was  going  away, 
when  she  said,  *You  might  com.e  in.*  So  I  Vv'ent  in, 
and  there  I  found  (I  forget  exactly  how  many)  little  girls 
upon  their  knees,  and  one  of  them  was  engaged  in 
prayer.  Whether  she  had  overheard  us  talking  at  the 
door,  or  supposed  that  some  person  had  come  in,  I  do  not 
know;    but  her  voice   faltered,  and    she  concluded  very 


r  DR.  ALEXANDER'S  ADDRESS, 

quickly,  so  that  I  hardly  heard  her.  But  directly  she  had 
concluded,  another  little  girl  began  to  pray,  and  a  veiy 
simple,  very  childlike,  but  very  beautiful  prayer  it  was.  / 
stood  listening  to  that  cliild^s  prayer,  and  the  tears  started  in 
my  eyes  as  I  listened.  I  con  Id  not  help  it.  I  felt  that  J  was  re* 
proved  ;  that  I  had  doubted  the  work  of  God  in  that  pan' inilar^ 
and  now  He  had  brought  me  face  to  face  with  the  work  iwl^ 
When  she  had  concluded  her  little,  simple  prayer,  they  all 
rose  up,  and  very  abashed  the  poor  little  things  looked  when 
they  saw  I  was  standing  in  the  midst  of  them. 

"  I  began  to  talk  to  this  little  girl  who  had  been  engaged 
in  prayer,  and  I  said  to  her,  after  I  had  reassured  her  a 
little,  *Well  nov/,  I  heard  you  thanking  God  for  pardoning 
your  sins,  and  for  the  peace  of  mind  you  have ;  I  suppose 
you  feel  that  you  have  been  converted.'  And  she  said, 
*  Yes,  sir,'  with  great  quietness,  and  great  assurance  of  mind. 
I  said,  '  Now,  how  did  that  come  to  pass  ?  You  did  not 
always  think  of  these  things.'  *  Oh  no  ! '  she  said,  *  I  never 
cared  about  them  at  all.'  'Well,'  I  said,  *just  tell  m.e  how 
it  came  to  pass  that  you  did  come  to  care  about  them.' 
She  said,  *  I  came  to  the  Meetings,  and  attended  them  for 
awhile ;  but  I  did  not  care  much  about  what  was  going 
on.  One  night  I  went,  with  some  others,  into  a  room. 
There  were  a  good  many  women  there,  and  some  of  them 
were  greetin'  about  their  sins.  A  lady  was  present  who 
spoke  to  them,  told  them  about  their  sins,  and  told  them 
how  they  were  to  get  pardon ;  and,'  she  added,  in  her 
simple  sort  of  way,  *  the  thought  just  came  into  my  mind 
that  I  was  a  sinner,  too.'  I  said,  *  And  did  you  go  away 
with  that  thought  ? '  *  Yes,'  she  replied.  I  said,  *  Did  that 
grieve  you  ?  '  Looking  up  in  my  face  with  a  most  earnest 
and  striking  expression,  she  said,  *  Eh,  sir,  I  was  in  an 
awfu'way!'  In  this  state  he  continued,  she  said,  fors 
'good  while.     I  asked,  '  How  did  you  find  peace  of  mind  a 


•*  GREETIN'  ABOUT  HIS  sins:*  q 

*  Oh,  sir/  she  replied,  *  it  was  something  that  Mr.  Hammond 
said  when  he  was  preaching.*  I  asked,  *  What  gave  you 
peace  of  mind?'  Turning  on  me  again  the  same  intense 
and  earnest  look,  she  exclaimed,  *  Oh,  there  is  nothing  can 
give  peace  of  mind  to  the  sinner  but  the  blood  that  was 
shed  on  Calvary.'  Now,  I  just  put  it  to  any  experienced 
minister,  if  such  a  statement  does  not  show  that  this  child 
knows  the  way  of  salvation,  and  if  it  does  not  afford 
evidence  that  she  has  experienced  the  grace  of  God  in  truth. 
For  my  own  part,  all  my  doubts  and  unbelieving  suspicions 
were  gone. 

"  I  may  just  mention,  that  as  this  talk  was  going  on, 
there  was  a  little  boy  in  the  corner  of  the  room,  so  little  a 
fellow  that  he  had  just  emerged  from  the  condition  of  petti- 
coats, and  had  not  reached  the  dignity  of  a  jacket ;  his 
whole  costume  being  in  one  piece  from  his  neck  to  the  heels. 
He  was  standing  in  the  cornei  of  the  room,  and  sobbing 
very  hard.  The  only  idea  that  came  into  my  mind  was  that 
the  little  fellow  was  sleep}",  and  that  he  wanted  to  go  home, 
as  it  was  now  about  ten  o'clock.  I  said  to  one  of  the  girls 
that  he  was  wearied,  and  that  some  one  had  better  take  him 
home.  She  said,  *  Oh,  no,  sir ;  he  is  not  wearied,  he  is 
greetin'  about  his  sins.*  I  vrent  to  the  little  fellou^,  and  I  spoke 
,to  him ;  hov/ever,  he  was  really  past  speaking  to.  He  was 
in  a  state  of  great  distress,  vv^iatever  was  the  cause.  I  said 
to  one  of  the  girls,  *  Perhaps  you  could  speak  to  him  better 
than  I  could;'  and  she  replied,  MYcll,  yes,  sir;  I  will  speak 
to  him,  but  he  does  not  belong  to  this  place.*  I  said, 
'Indeed I*  *No,  puir  fellow;  he  has  walked  all  the  way 
frae  Prestonpans  to-night.'  Now  this  was  a  dark,  wintry 
night,  and  yet  this  little  creature  had  walked,  by  himself, 
about  four  miles,  to  get  to  the  Meeting.  I  asked  about  him 
the  last  time  I  was  out.  This  little  girl  told  me  tliat  she 
believed  he  was  going  on  in  the  right  way. 


10  "/  ''LL   TAK*  HIM  NAME.** 

"  This  was  a  very  striking  instance  to  me :  and  I  was 
struck,  also,  with  the  manifestation  of  a  kindly  interest  in 
liim  on  the  part  of  his  juvenile  companions.  I  said,  *This 
poor  little  fellow  cannot  go  home  at  this  time  of  night.' 
'  Oh,'  said  one  of  the  little  ones,  *I  '11  no  let  him  gang  hame ; 
I  '11  tak'  him  hame  with  me.*  This  seemed  to  me  as  like 
the  time  of  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel  at  Jerusalem,  when 
they  had  all  things  in  common,  and  every  man  received 
into  his  house  those  from  a  distance  who  were  converted 
to  the  truth. 

"  Several  persons  went  down  to  Musselburgh  from  Edin- 
burgh. Among  them  was  a  female  servant.  She  entered 
into  conversation  witli  one  of  the  little  girls,  who  immedi- 
ately began  to  preach  Christ  to  her  as  the  Saviour,  to  the 
utter  amazement  and  astonishment  of  this  woman.  She 
said  to  her,  *  Lassie,  where  did  you  learn  this  ? '  After  a 
httle  while,  the  little  girl,  to  her  still  further  astonishment, 
said,  '  If  you  will  kneel  down,  I  will  pray  with  you.'  And 
to  use  the  woman's  own  words,  *  she  just  drappit  down  on 
her  knees,  and  I  couldna  but  gang  down  too  ! '  And  the 
little  girl  prayed ;  and  the  woman,  strongly  moved,  when 
they  rose  up,  exclaimed,  *  Lassie,  v/ha  ever  learned  you  to 
pray  ?  '  The  child's  answer  was,  *  Naebody  learned  me ;  I 
think  the  Lord  just  pits  't  into  me.'  That  was  the  means  of 
that  woman's  conversion ;  and  she  is  now  one  who  gives 
evidence  of  being  really  converted." 

We  are  warned  in  God's  Word  not  to  be  ignorant  ot 
Satan's  devices.  We  read  in  Job,  that  upon  a  certain  day 
the  sons  of  God  came  together,  and  Satan  came  also 
among  them.  I  well  remember  walking  through  the  streets 
of  Rome  with  two  friends,  when  one  of  them  remarked, 
"The  devil  is  very  busy  here."  This  was  the  answer: 
"  Oh,  no ;  he  has  his  own  way  here  in  Rome  ;  he  is  away  in 
America  and  Scotland,  where  God  is  pouring  out  His  Spirit, 


SA  TAN  '5  D£  VICES.  li 

and  where  sinners  are  escaping  from  his  dominion.  It  is 
there  that  he  is  concentrating  his  power."  It  is  an  alarming 
thought  that  he  vv'ho,  "as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about, 
seeking  whom  he  may  devour,"  is  on  the  alert  when  sinners, 
and  especially  children,  are  fleeing  to  Christ ;  for  he  well 
'knows  that  if  he  can  keep  the  children  away  from  Him  until 
'sjn  hath  dominion  over  them,  he  has  far  more  prospect  of 
retaining  his  hold  upon  them  through  time  and  through 
eternity.  l 

To  illustrate  this,  let  me  give  one  fact  which  occurred  in 
Newark,  New  Jersey,  where  it  was  officially  reported,  after 
the  revival  in  1864,  that  something  over  a  thousand  joined 
the  Church  from  the  Sunday-school  The  venerable  Dr. 
I  Joel  Parker,  for  many  years  pastor  of  one  of  the  leading 
I  churches  of  New  York  City,  known  as  a  very  conservative 
man,  both  in  poHtics  and  religion,  arose  in  one  of  the 
morning  meetings  in  Dr.  Henry  Clay  Fisher's  church,  and 
spoke  as  follows : 

"  The  longer  I  live,  the  more  I  believe  in  the  devil.  At 
the  very  commencement  of  these  meetings  he  came  near 
upsetting  me.  At  the  first  Children's  Meeting  held  in  my 
church,  Mr.  Hammond  at  the  close  of  the  address  went 
down  among  the  children  and  began  to  talk  with  every  one 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact  Many  were  in  tears. 
Finally,  he  returned  to  the  pulpit,  and  taking  me  by  the 
hand,  said,  *  Dr.  Parker,  this  is  the  work  of  God's  Spirit. 
Won't  you  come  and  speak  to  some  of  the  children  ? '  I 
had  very  grave  doubts  about  the  matter.  *  These  children 
are  under  deep  conviction,'  ho  added,  *  won't  you  go  and 
point  them  to  Christ  ?  You  can  see  they  are  weeping  for 
their  sins.'  I  determined  not  to  heed  his  zj>se  dixit,  but  to 
test  the  thing  for  myself  before  I  went  to  work  in  tl:e 
inquiry  meeting.  I  therefore  surveyed  the  strange  scene 
for  a  little  v/hile,  and  finally  selected  one  boy  that  v.as 


X9  FIFTY  ANXIOUS  CHILDREN, 

weeping  more  bitterly,  and  was,  apparently,  in  more  deep 
feeling  than  any  of  the  rest.  Instead  of  saying  to  him,  *  I 
am  glad  to  find  you  anxious  about  your  soul,'  I  slowly 
approached  him,  and  said : 

"  *  What  are  you  weeping  so  for,  my  little  boy  ?  * 
**  Fresh  tears  burst  from  his  eyes  as  he  exclaimed : 
"  *  I  've  lost  my  hat !     I  've  lost  m.y  hat ! ' 
"The  devil   seemed,"  continued   Dr.   Parker,  "to  be 
standing  in  almost  visible  form  by  my  side,  saying,  •  Yes, 
that  is  it  I     One  boy  has  lost  his  hat,  and  that  is  all  he  is 
crying  for.     Those  around  him  are  crying  out  of  sympathy ; 
and  here  you,  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  are  being  led  into 
this  nonsense,  making  a  fool  of  yourself.   You  had  better  go 
back  to  the  platform  and  maintain  your  dignity.     By  so 
doing  you  will  continue  to  hold  the  respect  of  yourself  and 
your  neighbours.* 

"  I  was  about  to  turn  upon  my  heel,  when  the  words, 
'  Be  not  ignorant  of  his  devices '  (2  Cor.  ii.  11)  occurred  to 
me.  I  therefore  determined  not  to  be  frightened  so  easily. ' 
By  the  side  of  this  boy  was  another,  also  weeping  bitterly.' 
I  questioned  hi?fi  as  to  the  cause  of  his  tears.  His  reply 
was,  *  Oh,  I  feel  that  I  have  been  a  great  sinner  not  to  love 
that  dear  Saviour  who  died  on  the  cross  for  me,  of  whom  I 
have  heard  so  much  to-day.  It  seems  to  me  I  never  can  be 
forgiven,  my  heart  is  so  hard.'  I  believe  that  I  talked  with 
at  least  fifty  that  day  under  deep  conviction  of  sin,  and  I 
rejoice  to  know  that  numbers  of  them  belong  to  my  own 
Sunday-school.  I  have  watched  over  them,  and  I  believe 
that  most  of  them  are  to-day  giving  evidence  of  having 
experienced  a  blessed  change  of  heart. 

**  Oh,  how  glad  the  Evil  One  would  have  been  to  have 
prejudiced  me  against  the  work  at  the  very  start,  and  so 
kept  me  from  entering  into  it  with  all  my  might ;  and  what  a 
good  excuse  I  should  have  had,  not  on\   for  keeping  myself. 


THE  SUNDA  Y-SCHOOL  SUPERINTENDENT,  13 

but  others,  from  entering  into  this  work  of  God.  How  easily 
I  might  have  said  to  the  ministers  the  next  day,  v/hen  asked 
what  I  thought  of  the  Meeting,  *  It  is  all  a  sham  ;  they  were 
crying,  but  none  of  them  knew  what  they  were  crying  for. 
I  went  down  into  the  inquiry  meeting  myself.  I  deliberately 
sought  to  find  those  who  were  said  to  be  under  the  deepest 
conviction.  I  found  one  boy  weeping  more  bitterly,  if  pos- 
sible, than  the  rest.  I  asked  him  what  was  the  matter. 
His  laconic  reply  was,  "/  have  lost  my  hat  /  "  I  was  at  once 
satisfied  the  whole  thing  was  a  sham ;  that  it  would  be  time 
enough  to  labour  for  the  conversion  of  children  when  they 
knew  the  difference  between  tears  shed  on  account  of  the 
conviction  of  sin,  and  those  shed  over  the  loss  of  a  hat  /^" 

I  have  often  been  struck  with  the  fact,  that  at  the  com- 
mencement of  a  series  of  Meetings  specially  for  children, 
those  whom  we  expected  would  be  most  ready  to  enter 
into  the  work,  are  the  very  persons  who  seem  to  keep  aloof. 
The  Lord  only  knows  hov/  many  bitter  tears  I  have  shed  as 
I  have  from  time  to  time  realized  this  fact. 

In  1862,  a  superintendent  of  one  of  the  leading 
Sunday-schools  in  Brooklyn,  N.Y.,  whose  pastor  at  that 
time  preached  to  the  largest  congregation,  I  think,  with 
one  exception,  approached  me  at  the  close  of  a  meetmg 
in  Dr.  Hatfield's  church,  New  York,  with  an  invitation  to 
come  to  Brooklyn  and  hold  some  meetings.  He  stated 
that  Dr.  Buddington  and  others  were  ready  to  unite  in  the 
work.  He  brought  with  him  letters  from  several  pastors, 
and  in  a  few  days  the  matter  was  aiTanged.  The  super* 
intendent  seemed  to  be  very  much  in  earnest,  ready  to  do 
all  in  his  power  to  forv/ard  the  worL  Numerous  young 
converts  and  earnest  Christians  in  the  Church  where  I  was 
labouring  promised  to  pray  earnestly  that  God  would  mani- 
fest His  mighty  power  in  the  salvation  of  souls. 

At  the  very  first  Meeting,  at  which  there  were  over  tv/o 


14  CHILDREN  PR  A  YING. 

thousand  present,  there  was  a  power  beyond  that  of  man 
plainly  visible  moving  upon  the  hearts  of  the  people. 
Many  children  were  in  tears.  I  was  the  guest  of  the  super- 
intendent.    When  I  returned  home  his  wife  said  to  him :     | 

"My  dear,  I  did  not  sec  you  at  work  in  the  inquiry 
meeting.  The  children  were  weeping  for  their  sins.  Many 
more  helpers  were  needed.  I  am  sure  many  expected  that 
you,  being  a  superintendent,  would  be  working  among  those 
who  were  inquiring  for  the  way  of  life." 

"  I  have  no  faith  in  this  work  among  the  children,"  he 
replied.  "  I  think  that  they  were  merely  weeping  at  some 
of  the  very  touching  stories  they  had  heard.  I  do  not 
believe  they  knew  anything  about  the  conviction  of  sin 
experimentally." 

"  But  you  would  have  believed  so,"  said  his  wife,  "  if  you 
had  gone  among  the  children  as  I  did." 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  do  so,"  was  the  reply.  **  I  do  not 
believe  in  this  way  of  doing  things." 

So  he  continued  for  three  days.  We  had  long  argu- 
ments together,  and  though  he  attended  the  meeting  each 
day,  he  seemed  to  grow  severely  censorious.  There  I  was, 
a  guest  in  his  house,  and  he  all  the  time  blind  to  the  great 
v/ork  which  God,  by  His  Holy  Spirit,  was  carrying  on  in 
the  hearts  of  many  of  the  children  and  youth.  About  the 
fourth  day  of  the  meetings,  as  he  was  passing  across  one 
corner  of  the  inquiry  meeting,  down  in  the  aisle  right  before 
him  he  found  two  little  girls,  one  of  them  weeping  bitterly. 
Said  the  weeping  child  to  the  other : 

"Oh,  I  am  such  a  sinner,  how  can  God  ever  for- 
give me?" 

"  I  felt  just  so  too,  last  Monday,"  the  other  replied ; 
''but  one  of  the  Christians  talked  and  prayed  with  me,  and 
pointed  me  to  Jesus ;  and  as  I  myself  prayed  to  Him,  He 
showed  me  His  bleeding  hands  and  wounded  side,  until  I 


THE  SUPERINTENDENT  CONVINCED.  ij 

sa\7  and  felt  that  He  had  truly  loved  me  and  given  Himself 
for  me ;  and  I  could  not  help  loving  Him ;  so  I  gave  m.y 
heart  to  Him,  and  have  been  a  happy  little  girl  ever  since, 
trying  to  get  all  my  friends  to  come  to  Him ;  and  nov/  if  you 
will  bow  your  head,  you  too  can  come  to  Jesus,  and  be  as 
happy  as  I  am." 

^  They  did  pray  together,  and  oh,  such  an  earnest 
prayer !  it  was  enough  to  melt  the  hardest  heart  We  both 
stood  and  listened.  Suddenly  I  saw  my  tall  friend,  the 
superintendent,  quivering  like  an  aspen  leaf.  That  little 
girl  praying  vvith  her  friend  was  his  daughter,  who  had  been 
converted  since  the  first  meeting ;  and  while  her  fatlier  had 
been  cavilling  about  the  work,  she  had  been  leading  souls  to 
Christ.  He  turned,  and,  seizing  me  by  the  hand,  said, 
*'Can  you  forgive  me  ?     Can  God  forgive  me  ?  " 

From  that  hour  he  enlisted  in  the  work,  and  when 
Sunday  came,  he  found  that  sixty-three  of  his  Sunday- 
school  scholars  were  giving  evidence  of  having  experienced 
a  change  of  heart.  That  superintendent  v/as  a  good  man. 
I  loved  him.  Though  my  heart  was  grieved  and  I  shed 
many  tears  over  him,  I  was  not  angiy  with  him  because  he 
did  not  understand  the  blessed  work  of  God's  Spirit.  He 
has  since  gone  home  to  glory,  and  will  no  doubt  meet  upon 
the  shining  shore  many  of  his  scholars  who  were  at  that  time 
truly  born  again.  i 

In  Matthew  xviii.  2,  we  read :  "  Jesus  cnlled  a  little 
child  unto  Him,  and  set  him  in  the  midst  of  them,  and 
said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Except  ye  be  converted,  and 
become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  Whosoever  therefore  shall  humble 
himself  as  this  little  child,  the  same  is  greatest  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  And  whoso  shall  receive  one  such 
little  child  in  my  name,  receivelh  Me.  But  whoso  shall 
offend  one  of  these  Utile  ones  which  believe  in  Me,  it 


x9  AfA  TTHE  W  HENR  F. 

were  better  for  him  that  a  mmstone  were  hanged  about  his 
neck,  and  that  he  were  dro^vned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea." 

This  last  verse  is  equivalent  to  saying,  Whoso  shall  put 
a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  one  of  these  little  ones 
which  believe  in  Me,  etc. 

I  am  especially  thankful  for  these  four  words :  "  whicli 
believe  in  ]\Ie." 

Are  we  not  thus  distinctly  taught  from  God's  ov;n  Word 
that  Httle  children  can  intelligently  believe  in  Christ? 

I  am  ready  to  admit  that  the  term  "little  children" 
often  refers  to  young  converts,  though  they  may  be  old 
in  5Tars ;  but  the  connection  here  would,  it  seems  to  me, 
lead  us  to  believe  that  our  Saviour  refers  directly  to  little 
children  as  such. 

Matthew  Henry  says:  "The  tender  regard  Christ  has 
to  His  Church,  extends  itself  to  every  particular  member. 
Not  only  to  the  whole  family,  but  to  every  child  of  the 
family.  The  less  they  are  in  themselves  to  whom  we  show 
kindness,  the  more  there  is  of  good  will  in  it  to  Christ ;  the 
less  it  is  for  their  sakes,  the  more  it  is  for  His,  and  He  takes 
it  accordingly.  Our  Saviour  warns  all  people,  as  they  will 
answer  it  at  their  peril,  not  to  put  any  stumbling-block  in 
the  v/ay  of  one  of  His  little  ones." 

In  the  year  i858,  it  v/as  my  privilege  to  hold  a  series 
of  meetings  in  Weston-super-Mare,  at  the  invitation  of 
Lord  Cavan,  Rev.  R.  G.  W^ilker,  and  others. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  fxrst  meeting,  I  carefully  dwelt 
for  some  tim.e  upon  the  proofs  of  a  saving  change  of  heart, 
giving  them  five  scriptural  evidences;  namely.  Love  for 
God's  people;  love  foPv.  the  Bible;  love  for  prayer; 
LOVE  for  the  Saviour  ;  and  a  desire  to  see  others 
converted.  I  d^vclt  upon  these  carefully,  illustrating  each 
point.     I  then  said,  at  the  close  of  the  address,  '*  You  wlio 


••  BECA  USE  1  LO VE  JESUS^  T} 

feel  that  you  have  lately  become  Christians,  and  that  ycu 
have  those  five  evidences  of  a  change  of  heart,  can  do  one 
of  three  things :  you  can  go  to  your  homes,  if  you  choose ; 
or  you  can  remain  at  the  inquiry  meeting  and  talk  with 
your  little  friends  who  are  anxious ;  or  you  can  come  up  on 
the  platform  and  sing.  Lest  any  of  you  should  come  on 
tlie  platform  because  others  come,  or  simply  because  you 
love  to  sing,  I  shall  request  the  Rev.  R.  G.  Walker,  a  clergy- 
man of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  Lord  Cavan,  carefully  to 
examine  each  one  of  you,  and  not  to  allow  any  of  you  to 
go  upon  the  platform  unless  you  can  *  give  a  reason  for  the 
hope  that  is  in  you,  with  meekness  and  fear.' " 

The  work  soon  after  began,  and  I  went  down  among  the 
anxious.  Once,  as  I  returned  to  the  platform,  I  found  that  the 
Rev.  R.  G.  Walker  had  just  allowed  to  go  upon  it  a  little 
fellow  who  did  not  seem  to  be  over  four  years  of  age.  I  asked 
him  why  he  put  such  a  little  fellow  upon  the  platform.  His 
calm  answer  was,  "  Because  I  bcHeve  he  is  a  Christian.* 
**  It  may  be,"  said  I ;  "  but  he  is  too  young  to  go  up  on  that 
platform.  It  v/ill  make  talk  among  the  conservative  people. 
They  will  say  we  are  putting  babes  up  there.  It  will  do 
more  harm  than  good."  "  But,"  said  he,  "  I  was  requested 
to  allow  those  children,  and  those  only,  who  could  give 
evidence  of  having  experienced  a  change  of  heart,  to  go 
^p,  and  I  have  examined  that  little  bov,  and  I  think  he  is  a 
Cliristian."  "  It  may  be,"  said  I ;  "  but  we  must  have  some 
respect  for  the  feelings  of  those  Christians  who  are  looking 
en."  "  You  can  take  him  off,"  said  he,  "  if  you  please,  but 
I  cannot  conscientiously." 

I  blush  to  record  the  fact  that  I  said  to  the  little  fellow, 
"What  are  you  on  this  platform  for?"  His  quick  reply 
was,  "Because  I  love  Jesus."  "  I  am  glad  if  you  do ;  but  it 
is  now  nearly  eight  o'clock,  and  it  is  time  such  a  little  boy 
as  you  were  at  home.    Now  run  away,"  I  said,  as  I  lifted 


x8  OFFENDING  THE  LITTLE  ONES. 

him  from  the  edge  of  the  platform  and  turned  his  face 
towards  the  door.  He  burst  into  tears,  but,  hke  an  obe- 
dient boy,  pressed  his  way  out.  Just  at  that  moment  a 
Christian  lady  vv'ho  heard  all  this  touched  my  arm  and 
asked,  "  Do  you  know  that  boy  ?  "  *'  No,"  was  my  reply;  "  I 
only  know  that  I  thought  he  was  too  young  to  be  upon  the 
platform  with  the  young  converts."  "If  you  had  heard 
him  pray,"  said  she,  "  as  /  did  last  night,  you  would  not  so 
cruelly  have  put  him  from  the  platform  and  sent  him  home 
crying.'"  It  seemed  at  that  instant  as  if  I  could  hear  my 
Saviour  saying  unto  m.e,  "  Whoso  shall  offend  one  of  these 
little  ones  v/hich  believe  in  Me,  it  were  better  that  a  mill- 
stone were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he  were  drowned 
in  the  depth  of  the  sea;"  and  I  said,  "O  Lord,  if  I 
may  but  be  forgiven  this  once,  I  will  never  again  act  so 
cruelly.  With  Thy  help,  never  again  shall  the  fear  of  man 
under  like  circumstances  bring  a  snare  to  my  soul." 

It  is  a  delightful  thought,  and  in  full  accordance  with 
the  teachings  of  God's  Word,  that  when  you  and  I,  dear 
reader,  enter  the  realms  of  Paradise,  we  shall  meet  multi- 
tudes upon  multitudes  who  were  converted  in  childhood. 
Let  us  hope  that  some  of  these  will  have  been  saved  through 
our  instrumentality. 


CHAPTER  IL 


BOW  EARLY  MAY  CHILDREN  BE  LED  TO  CHRIST? 

••they  brought  young  children  ["  LITTLE  CHILDREN,"  Matthcw; 
'INFANTS,"    Ltike\    TO    HIM   ,  .  .   AND    KS  ,  ,  .  BLESSED    THEM." 

Mark  X.  13,  l6. 

HE  question  is  ofien  asked— At  how  early  an  age 
can  children  experimentally  understand  the  vray 

of  salvation   through   faith   in   the   Lord    Jesus 

Ctjist?  It  may  not  be  easy  to  give  a  definite  answer  to 
this  question ;  but  I  have  found  in  many  parts  of  the  world 
erainent  Christians  who  experienced  a  change  of  heart  at 
such  an  early  age  that  they  could  not  remember  the  time 
when  they  first  began  to  love  God.  I  firmly  believe  that  it 
is  possible  for  Christian  parents  and  Sabbath-school  teachers 
of  infant  classes  so  to  hold  up  Christ  before  little  children, 
even  of  only  three,  four,  and  five  summers,  tliat  their  young 
hearts  will  be  drawn  I  m.ight  say  almost  involuntarily,  to  Him. 
A  mother  in  England  taught  her  little  child  that  his 
father  v/as  av>'ay  in  India.  As  soon  as  he  could  Hsp  his 
father's  nam.e,  his  picture  was  shovv-n  him,  and  he  was 
taught  to  say,  "That's  my  papa."  Though  he  had  never 
seen  his  father  to  know  him,  yet,  through  that  mother's 
faithful  teaching,  he  learned  to  love  him.  One  day,  unex- 
pectedly to  all,  the  father  returned  from  India,  and  as  he 


ao  aUSHNELL  'S  "  CNJ^/S TIAN  NUR TURE:* 

entered  the  hall  door,  his  little  son  was  the  first  to  greet 
him,  exclaiming  as  he  did  so,  "  ]\Iy  dear  papa,  I  so  glad  to 
see  you."  Why  is  it  not  possible  for  mothers,  therefore,  so 
to  bring  home  to  their  little  ones  the  great  fact  of  Jesus' 
love  for  them,  that  their  young  hearts  will  be  drawn  to  Him 
at  such  an  early  age  that  they  will  never  be  able  to 
remember  the  time  when  the  light  of  the  Sun  of  Righteous- 
ness first  dawned  upon  them?  Then  might  they  be  enabled 
truly  to  say  of  Christ,  *'  In  whom,  though  now  ye  see  Him 
not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice."    (i  Pet.  i.  8.) 

It  is  not  enough  simply  to  tell  children  that  Jesus  has 
loved  them  and  died  for  them.  They  must  first  be  led  to 
see  and  to  feel  that  we  really  love  Him  ourselves,  that  He 
is  to  us  a  personal  Friend  and  Saviour.  Then,  and  not  till 
then,  will  our  words  reach  their  hearts. 

Dr.  Horace  Bushnell,  in  his  book  on  **  Christian 
Nurture,"  holds  the  theory  to  which  we  have  alluded. 
Some  persons  have  misunderstood  this  work,  and  supposed 
that  he  intended  to  teach  that  children  were  not  by  nature 
sinful,  and  did  not  need  the  regenerating  influences  of  God's 
Spirit,  that  they  might  experience  a  saving  change  of  heart. 
A  few  years  before  he  died  I  met  him  at  his  home  in  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  and  questioned  him  upon  this  point.  His 
answer  was,  ''  I  believe  that  every  child  of  Adam  is  a  sinner, 
and  in  need  of  forgiveness,  and  of  a  divinely  wrought  change 
of  heart ;  and  I  beHeve  that  it  is  alone  through  the  death  oi 
Christ  that  this  change  can  be  effected."     He  also  says : 

"  The  aim  and  effort  and  expectation  should  be,  not,  as 
is  comm.only  assumed,  that  the  child  is  to  grow  up  in  sin, 
and  to  be  converted  after  he  comes  to  a  mature  age ;  but 
that  he  is  to  open  on  the  v/orld  as  one  who  is  spiritually 
renewed,  not  remembering  the  time  when  he  went  through 
a  technical  experience,  but  seeming  rather  to  have  loved 
what  is  good  from  his  carUest  years. 


CHILDREN  STILU  2i 

*^This  doctrine  is  not  a  novelty,  now  rashly  and  for 
the  first  time  propounded.  It  is  as  old  as  the  Christian 
Church,  and  prevails  extensively  at  the  present  day  in  other 
parts  of  the  world.  Neither  let  your  own  experience  raise 
a  prejudice  against  it  If  you  have  endeavoured  to  realize 
the  very  truth  I  here  affirm,  but  find  that  your  children  do 
not  exhibit  the  character  you  have  looked  for ;  if  they  seem 
to  be  intractable  to  religious  influences,  and  sometimes  to 
display  an  apparent  aversion  to  the  very  subject  of  religion 
itself,  you  are  not,  of  course,  to  conclude  that  the  doctrine 
I  here  maintain  is  untrue  or  impracticable. 

"  You  may  be  unreasonable  in  jour  expectations  of  your 
children. 

"  Possibly  there  may  be  seeds  of  holy  principle  in  them 
which  you  do  not  discover. 

"A  child  acts  out  his  present  feelings,  the  feelings  of  the 
moment,  without  qualification  or  disguise.  And  how  would 
you  appear,  many  times,  if  you  were  to  do  the  same  ? 

'  Will  you  expect  of  them  to  be  better  and  more  con- 
stant and  consistent  than  yourselves ;  or  will  you  not  rather 
expect  them  to  be  chixdven,  human  children  still,  living  a 
mixed  life,  trying  out  the  good  and  evil  of  the  world,  and 
preparing,  as  older  Chris ciaiis  do,  vrhen  they  have  taken  a 
lesson  of  sorrow  and  emptiness,  to  turn  again  to  the  true 
good? 

**  Perhaps  they  will  go  through  a  rough  mental  struggle, 
at  some  future  day,  r.nd  seem,  to  others  and  to  themselves, 
there  to  have  entered  on  a  Christian  i.fe.  xA.nd  yet  it  may 
be  true  that  there  was  stiil  some  root  of  right  principle 
established  in  their  childhood,  v/hich  is  here  only  quickened 
and  developed,  as  when  Christians  of  a  mature  age  are 
revived  in  their  piety,  after  a  period  of  spiritual  letharg}'; 
for  it  is  conceivable  that  regenerate  character  may  exist, 
long  before  it  is  fully  and  formally  developed." 


»  ^IN  THE   WAY  HE  SHOULD  GG." 

Again,  Dr.  Bushnell  says :  "  Children  have  been  so 
trained  as  never  to  remember  the  time  when  they  began  to 
be  religious.  Baxter  was,  at  one  time,  greatly  troubled 
concerning  himself,  because  he  could  recollect  no  time  when 
there  was  a  gracious  change  in  his  character.  But  he  dis- 
covered, at  length,  that  *  education  is  as  properly  a  means 
of  grace  as  preaching,'  and  thus  found  a  sweeter  comfort  in 
his  love  to  God,  that  he  learned  to  love  Him  so  early.  The 
European  churches,  generally,  regard  Christian  piety  more 
as  a  habit  of  life  formed  under  the  training  of  childhood, 
and  less  as  a  marked  spiritual  change  in  experience. 

"  The  Mora\ian  Brethren,  it  is  agreed  by  all,  give  as 
ripe  and  graceful  an  exhibition  of  piety  as  any  body  of 
Christians  living  on  the  earth,  and  it  is  the  radical  dis- 
tinction of  their  system  that  it  rests  its  power  on  Christian 
education.  They  make  their  churches  schools  of  holy 
nurture  to  childhood,  and  expect  their  children  to  grow  up 
there,  as  plants  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  Accordingly  it 
is  affirmed  that  not  one  in  ten  of  the  members  of  that 
church  recollects  any  time  when  he  began  to  be  religious. 
Is  it  then  incredible  that  what  has  been  can  be  ? 

"God  does  expressly  lay  upon  us  to  expect  that  our 
children  will  grow  up  in  piety  under  the  parental  nurture, 
and  assumes  the  possibility  that  such  a  result  may  ordinarily 
be  realized.  'Train  up  a  child' — how?  for  future  con- 
version ?  No,  but  *  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when  he 
is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it.'  If  it  be  said  that  this 
relates  only  to  outward  habits  of  virtue  and  vice,  not  to 
spiritual  life,  I  reply,  the  Old  Testament  does  not  raise  that 
distinction,  as  it  is  raised  in  the  New.  It  puts  all  good 
together,  all  evil  together,  and  regards  a  child  trained  up  in 
the  way  he  should  go,  as  going  in  all  the  ways,  and  fulfilling 
all  the  ideas  of  virtue. 

"The  phraseology  of  the  New  Testament  carries  tha 


INCONSISTENT  PARENTS,  83 

same  import :  *  Bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admo- 
nition of  the  Lord '  (Eph.  vi.  4),  a  form  of  expression  which 
indicates  the  existence  of  a  divine  nurture,  that  is  to  en- 
compass the  child  and  mould  him  unto  God ;  so  that  he 
shall  be  brought  up,  as  it  were,  in  Him. 

"  A  time  is  foretold,  as  our  churches  generally  believe, 
when  all  shall  know  God,  even  from  the  least  to  the  gi-eatest^ 
that  is,  shall  spiritually  know  Him ;  or  so  that  there  shall  be 
no  need  of  exhorting  one  another  to  know  Him  ;  for  intel- 
lectual knowledge  is  not  carried  by  exhortation.  If  such  a 
tim.e  is  ever  to  come,  then  at  least  children  are  to  grow  up 
in  Christ.  Can  it  come  too  soon?  And  if  we  have  the 
opinion  that  any  such  thing  is  impossible,  either  vve,  or 
those  who  com.e  after  us,  must  get  rid  of  it.  A  principal 
reason  why  the  great  expectations  of  the  future,  that  Vv^e  in 
this  age  are  giving  out  so  confidently,  seemx  only  visionary 
and  idle  dreams  to  many,  is  that  we  are  perpetually  assuming 
their  im.possibility  ourselves.  One  theory  of  religion  is, 
that  men  are  to  grow  up  in  evil,  and  be  dragged  into  the 
Church  of  God  by  conquest.  The  world  is  to  lie  in  halves, 
and  the  kingdom  of  God  is  to  stretch  itself  side  by  side 
with  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  making  sallies  into  it,  and 
taking  captive  those  who  are  sufficiently  hardened  and 
bronzed  in  guiltiness  to  be  converted." 

Dr.  Bushnell  further  asks  : 

"  Why  it  is.  If  our  doctrine  be  true,  that  many  persons, 
remarkable  f  ^r  their  piety,  have  been  so  unfortunate  in  their 
children?  Because,  I  ansv/er,  many  persons  remarkable 
for  their  piety,  are  yet  very  disagreeable  persons,  and  that, 
too,  by  reason  of  some  very  marked  defect  in  their  religious 
character.  They  display  just  that  spirit,  and  act  in  just  that 
manner,  which  is  likely  to  make  religion  odious — the  more 
odious  the  more  urgently  they  commend  it  Som.etimes 
tliey  appear  well  to  the  world  one  remove  distant  from 


34  RJ^  VI VA  LS  OF  RELIGIO  N. 

them ;  they  shine  well  in  their  written  biography ;  but  one 
living  in  their  family  will  know  what  others  do  not,  and,  if 
their  children  turn  out  badly,  will  never  be  at  a  loss  for  the 
reason.  Many  persons,  too,  have  such  defective  views  of 
the  manner  of  teaching  appropriate  to  early  childhood,  that 
they  really  discourage  their  children.  *  Fathers,  provoke 
not  your  children,'  says  Paul,  *  lest  they  be  discouraged* 
(Col.  iii.  2i);  implying  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  en- 
couraging, and  such  a  thing  as  discouraging  good  principle 
and  piety  in  a  child.  And  there  are  other  ways  of  discou- 
raging children  besides  provoking  them  to  an  angry  and 
wounded  feeling  by  harsh  treatment." 

Now,  some  might  infer  from  these  teachings  of  Dr. 
Bushnell  that  he  v/ould  naturally  oppose  labouring  for  the 
salvation  of  children  in  masses,  especially  in  revivals  of 
religion.  I  remember,  however,  the  time  v/hen  he  invited 
Dr.  Finney  to  his  church  in  Hartford  to  hold  a  series  of 
meetings,  and  laboured  earnestly  with  him  in  union 
meetings.  I  am  not  surprised,  therefore,  that  near  the 
close  of  his  discourses  op-  "Christian  Nurture,"  he  uses 
the  following  language  : 

*'  Let  us  turn  now,  not  away  from  revivals  of  religion, 
certainly  not  away  from  the  conviction  that  God  will  bring 
upon  the  churches  tides  of  spiritual  exercise,  and  vary  His 
Divine  culture  by  times  and  seasons  suited  to  their  advance- 
ment ;  but  let  us  turn  to  inquire  v/hether  there  is  not  a  fund 
of  increase  in  the  veiy  bosom  of  the  Church  itself.  Let  us 
try  if  we  may  not  train  up  our  children  in  the  way  that  they 
should  go.  Simply  this,  if  we  can  do  it,  will  make  the 
Church  multiply  her  numbers  manyfold  more  rapidly  than 
nov/,  with  the  advantage  that  many  more  will  be  gained 
from  without  than  now." 

It  seems  to  me  that  every  candid  Christian  must  admit 


MR.   J.  DEN  HAM  SMITH,  25 

the  positions  which  Dr.  Bushnell  assumes  in  his  discourses 
on  "Christian  Nurture,"  at  least  those  which  I  have 
quoted.  A  fact  occurs  to  my  mind  which  bears  upon  the 
subject  of  this  chapter. 

When  r>Ir.  J.  Denham  Smith  was  holding  a  series  of 
meetings  in  the  Metropolitan  Hall  in  DubUn,  his  own  little 
boy  about  four  years  of  age  was  very  much  interested,  and 
deeply  convicted  of  his  sinfulness.  He  was  very  fond  of 
singing,  as  were  all  the  members  of  his  father's  family. 
One  evening  after  they  returned  from  the  children's 
meeting,  his  mother  and  sisters  gathered  around  the 
piano  and  began  to  sing  some  of  their  familiar  hymns, 
when  his  voice  mingled  with  the  rest.  Though  so  young, 
he  had  caught  many  of  the  refrains  and  could  join  in  them 
most  heartily.  Finally,  they  came  to  the  hymn  vrhich  he 
had  often  heard  the  great  congregation  sing,  comm^encing, 

**  Now  I  have  found  a  Friend,  Jesus  is  mine  5 
His  love  shall  never  end,  Jesus  is  mine." 

Though  all  the  rest  d  the  family  present  united  in 
singing  these  words,  his  litde  lips  were  closed ;  at  length 
he  said,  "  Please,  mamma,  don't  sing  that  hymn ;  Jesus  is 
not  mine  yet."  When  his  father  returned  they  told  him  of 
it,  but  he  replied,  "Willie  is  too  young  to  understand  these 
things.  After  tea  we  v/ill  sing  some  more  hymns,  and  bring 
in  the  one  he  objected  to."  They  did  so,  and  AVillie  again 
remonstrated,  exclaiming,  "  iMamma,  didn't  I  ask  you  not 
to  sing  that  hymn  ?  Jesus  is  not  mine  yet  I  cannot  sing 
it."  The  father  was  surprised,  but  still  said  nothing.  Next 
morning,  Willie  did  not  come  do^^m  to  breakfast  After 
waiting  for  him  some  time,  his  father  v.'ent  upstairs,  and 
there  found  him  kneeling  down  by  his  bed,  engaged  in 
prayer.  When  the  door  opened  he  arose,  and  in  the  most 
earnest  manner  asked,  "  Papa,  when  is  the  next  children's 


aS  JOURNEY  TO  GALVESTON, 

meeting?"  Being  told  that  it  would  be  on  Friday,  he  said, 
"  Won't  you  ask  them  to  pray  for  me,  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
may  ^^7  ///  and  dozvn  in  viy  heaji,  so  that  I  can  v.'ith  the  rest 
sing,  'Now  I  have  found  a  Friend,  Jesus  is  mine'  ?" 

At  the  next  children's  meeting  Willie  was  present, 
drinking  in  every  word.  At  the  close  he  pressed  his  way 
to  his  father's  side,  and  putting  his  hand  in  his,  he  said, 
*'  Now,  dear  papa,  I  can  sing  with  the  rest,  *■  Now  I  have 
found  a  Friend,  Jesus  is  mine  ! ' " 

From  that  time  this  little  boy  lived  a  consistent  Christian 
life.  Nine  years  after,  when  I  was  holding  meetings  in  that 
same  hall,  that  boy,  then  thirteen  years  of  age,  Avas  present. 
Though  I  knew  well  his  early  history,  I  asked  him  if  he  was 
a  Christian.  He  said  he  had  reason  to  believe  that  he 
was.  I  then  asked  him  when  it  was  that  he  first  began  to 
love  the  Saviour.  His  quick,  decisive  answer  was,  "  It 
seems  to  me  that  I  always  loved  Him.  I  cannot  remember 
the  time  when  I  first  felt  His  love  in  my  heart"  And  yet 
there  was  no  doubt  of  the  hour  when  he  vras  so  enabled  to 
view  the  loving  Jesus  bleeding  on  Calvary's  cross  for  him, 
when  his  heart  went  out  in  love  and  consecration,  and 
the  Spirit  of  God  said  to  him,  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  God  grant  that  every 
reader  of  this  book  may  often  hear  the  Saviour's  words 
ringing  in  his  ears,  "Suffer  the  little  children  to  come 
unto  Me,  and  forbid  them  not :  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  God." 

In  1874,  at  the  close  of  the  "union  meetings"  in  St. 
Louis,  twenty-one  people — earnest  Christians — among  whom 
were  several  ministers  and  their  wives,  went  with  me  on  aa 
evangehstic  journey  of  nearly  2100  miles,  to  Galveston, 
passing  through  Missouri,  Arkansas,  Texas,  the  Indian 
Territory,  and  Kansas.  At  a  Children's  INIeeting  in 
.Galveston,  the  wife   of  one  of  these  i?-iinisters  related  a 


THE  CLEANSED  HEART.  9} 

touching  storj'  in  regard  to  the  conversation  of  her  little 
bo}^  scarcely  four  years  of  age.  One  day  he  came 
running  to  her,  and  with  a  face  betokening  great  sorrov/, 
he  said : 

"Mamma,  I  said  a  naughty  word;  I  sweared,  I  did." 

"Did  you?"  she  said  j  "come  here  then,  and  I  will  get 
some  clean  water,  and  a  rag,  and  some  soap,  and  wash  your 
mouth  out." 

She  then  carefully  went  to  work  and  washed  his  mouth 
out  thoroughly,  after  which  she  pressed  her  finger  down 
into  his  throat,  and  the  little  fellow  felt  half-choked.  He 
said: 

"What  are  you  doing  that  for,  mamma ?** 

"  Because  I  want  to  get  down  into  your  heart,  and  wash 
your  heart  out ;  but  I  see  that  I  can't  do  that,  so  you  will 
have  to  ask  God  to  do  that  for  you.'* 

«HowcanGoddoit?" 

**  I  do  not  know ;  He  does  not  tell  me.** 

"I  know  It  came  from  the  heart,  mamma,  because  I 
thought  the  naughty  word  before  I  said  it.  But  will  He 
wash  out  my  heart  if  I  ask  Him,  mamma  ?  " 

"  Yes,  He  will ;  He  promises  to  do  so." 

"Then  I  will  ask  Him." 

Away  he  went  to  his  little  room,  and  kneeling  doTm,  he 
said,  "  O  God,  I  said  a  naughty  word ;  I  sv/eared,  I  did ; 
mamma  has  washed  my  mouth  out,  but  she  can't  wash  my 
heart  out.  O  God,  please  wash  my  heart  out,  for  Jesus' 
sake.     Amen." 

By  many  this  wull  be  regarded  as  a  childish  affair,  never 
to  be  thought  of  again  by  the  little  one ;  but  this  calm, 
judicious  mother,  whose  name  I  can  give  to  any  who  may 
desire  it,  said  to  a  crowded  church  in  Galveston,  "  That  boy 
has  been  changed  from  that  day.  I  beHeve  he  became  a 
Christian  from  that  hour,  and  he  has  lived  a  Chiistiaa  life 


a8  ^ SINCE  I  WAS  A  LITTLE  BOY* 

ever  since.  His  twin  brother  looks  so  much  like  him,  I  can 
scarcely  tell  them  apart,  and  yet  they  are  totally  different 
fi-om  each  other  in  their  spiritual  life.  One  is  a  Christian 
and  the  other  is  not.  I  see  the  proof  of  this  over  and  over 
again  in  their  every-day  life.'* 

This  child  was  not  four  years  of  age. 

At  one  of  the  Children's  Meetings  in  the  Metropolitan 
ITall  in  DubHn,  Miss  Bcwley  found  in  the  inquiry  meeting 
a  little  boy  who  did  not  appear  to  be  more  than  five  years 
of  age.  V/hen  she  came  to  speak  to  this  little  fellow  about 
his  soul,  she  found  that  he  was  indulging  a  hope  in  Christ, 
and  supposing  that  he  was  one  of  the  young  converts,  asked 
him  how  long  it  v/as  since  he  had  learned  to  love  the  pre- 
cious Saviour.  His  quick  reply  was :  "  Oh,  I  have  loved  Him 
EVER  SINCE  I  WAS  A  LITTLE  BOY  I"  "But,"  Said  she,  "you 
are  only  a  little  boy  now."  She  v/as  about  to  remonstrate 
vvith  him  for  having  given  such  an  answer,  thinking  he  did 
not  realize  the  nature  of  a  change  of  heart,  experimentally, 
when  suddenly  a  tall  man  who  had  been  looking  on,  in  a 
confident  manner  said,  "  That  is  my  boy.  He  has  been  a 
Christian  for  at  least  tv.'O  years ;  and  about  the  best  Christian 
too  in  our  house." 

The  early  faith  here  illustrated,  kindled  in  the  heart  at 
so  tender  an  age,. and  burning  so  brightly  and  steadily,  we 
know  was  John  the  Baptist's,  who  vvas  "  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  from  his  mother's  womb  "  (Luke  i.  15).  It  may  have 
been  Timothy's,  of  whom  Paul  says,  "  From  a  child  thou 
hast  known  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make 
thee  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus"  (2  Tim.  iii.  15);  the  same  "unfeigned  faith  .  •  • 
which  dwelt  fi-  .t  in  thy  grandmother  Lois,  and  thy  mother 
Eunice  "  (2  Tim.  i.  5).  Such,  too,  was  the  little  Samuel's, 
who  "ministered  before  the  Lord,  being  a  child,  girded 
with  a  linen  ephod"  (i  Sam.  ii.  iS);  and  such,  perhaps, 


THE  CHILD'S  GOSPEL,  99 

was  the  peacelul  experience  of  Isaac,  the  child  of  promise. 
And  how  grateful  to  God  must  have  been  the  oHeriags  of 
such  youthful  hearts. 

Let  those  who  suppose  children  must  arrive  at  matuiity 
before  they  can  become  Christians,  look  carefully  into  the 
New  Testament  for  light  on  this  subject.  They  will  find 
that  there  is  no  class  of  believers  so  particularly  mentioned 
by  our  Lord  as  children.  Three  of  the  evangelists  have 
recorded,  what  a  little  girl  on  hearing  it  read  called  "  the 
child's  gospel "  (I\Iark  x.  13-16) : 

"  They  brought  young  child;  en 

[Matthew  says,  "  little  children ;  "  Lulce  calls  them  "  infants"] 

"  to  Him,  that  He  should  touch  them : 

[Matthew  says,  **  that  He  should  put  His  hands  on  them  and  pray :"] 

•*and  His  disciples  rebuked  those  that  brought  them.  Eut 
when  Je3us  saw  it  He  was  much  displeased, 

[Luke  says,  "Jesus  called  them  unto  Him,"] 

"  and  said  unto  them,  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto 
Me,  and  forbid  them  not :  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  king- 
dom of  God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall  not  enter  therein. 
And  He  took  them  up  in  His  arms,  put  His  hands  upon 
them,  and  blessed  them"  (Matt.  xix.  13-15;  Luke  xviiL 

15-17)- 

Rev.  James  Macfarlane  remarks  that  these  children  were 
of  such  an  age  that  Jesus,  after  calling  them  to  Ilim,  took 
them  up  in  His  arms. 

And  now  let  us  inquire  as  to  the  effect  of  the  Saviour's 
blessing  upon  these  little  ones.  Will  any  one  say  that  it 
was  an  unmeaning  or  useless  formality,  that  the  prayers  of 
the  Son  of  God  were  not  answered,  and  that  these  Uttls 


go  *^SUFFER  LITTLE  CHILDREN^ 

children  did  not  then  and  there  receive  "  the  kingdom  of 
God,"  undergo  a  change  of  heart,  and  become  as  real 
Christians  as  the  oldest  of  His  disciples  ?  Observe  also  the 
Saviour's  declarations  that  "of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God," 
and  that  "  whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God 
as  a  little  child,  shall  in  no  wise  enter  therein  "  (Luke  xviii. 
17).  Alas  !  the  greatest  difficulty  v/ith  older  sinners  is  here 
illustrated  by  our  Divine  Master,  that  they  cannot  have  that 
trustful  and  obedient  faith  in  their  Heavenly  Father's  pro- 
mises and  commands  which  is  so  natural  to  the  Httle  child. 
The  child  believes  the  facts  or  principles  its  parent  states 
as  true,  and  obeys  his  orders  without  knowing  the  reason, 
relying  upon  his  judgment  and  yielding  to  his  will. 

Nor  was  this  a  miraculous  imposition  of  hands  in  any 
way  different  from  ordinarj^  conversion.  The  little  children 
have  the  same  living  Saviour  now  as  those  had  whom  He 
blessed  while  on  earth,  and  "  His  hand  is  not  shortened  that 
it  cannot  save  "  (Isa.  lix.  i).  Little  children  can  nov/  come 
to  Jesus  just  as  they  did  then,  and  receive  the  same  blessing. 
He  is  now  sending  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  answer  to  prayer,  to 
testify  of  Him,  and  to  direct  sinners  to  Him  as  the 
Saviour. 

"  JESUS   WANTS   'UM." 

Our  Saviour  is  still  saying,  as  of  old,  "  Suffer  the  little 
children  to  come  unto  Me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of  such 
is  the  kingdom  of  God  "  (Mark  x.  14). 

In  a  Sunday-school  where  all  the  children  were  expected 
to  repeat  a  text  of  Scripture,  a  very  small  boy  commenced 
the  above  verse,  but,  through  embarrassment,  could  only 
get  as  tar  as  "  Suffer  little  children."  He  started  again,  and 
was  only  able  to  add  the  word  "  come."  The  third  time, 
n-ith  more  energy,  he  began  and  ended  as  follows  :  "  Suffer 


••  JES  US  OF  NA  ZARE  TH  PA  SSE  TH  D  Y^  31 

fJie  little  children  to  come  unto  Me^  for — Jesus  wants  'um  all 

TO  COME,  AND  don't  ANY  OF  YOU  BIG  FOLKS  STOP  'UM." 

To  say  the  least,  the  little  fellow  had  the  trae  idea  of  the 

passage,  though  he  expressed  it  somewhat  roughly. 

Rev.  R.  G.  Pardee  most  thoroughly  believed  in  the 
early  conversion  of  children.  He  was  for  many  years 
regarded  as  an  oracle  in  Sunday-school  m.atters.  I  believe 
that  all  who  knew  him  loved  him.  It  vras  my  pleasure  to 
spend  many  happy  hours  in  his  own  home.  Whenever  it 
was  my  privilege  to  hold  meetings  anywhere  in  the  vicinity 
of  Nev/  York,  he  was  generally  present.  He  loved  especially 
to  point  the  anxious  little  ones  to  Christ.  I  have  no  doubt 
that  in  heaven  he  has  met  some  of  those  whom  he  pointed 
to  the  atoning  sacrifice.  Words  spoken  by  him  y^cx^  the 
occasion  of  the  hymn  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by  "  being 
written.  I  well  remember  that  on  a  Saturday  afternoon,  in 
Dr.  Terhune's  church,  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  in  1864,  Mr.  Pardee 
rose  in  one  of  the  crowded  Children's  Meetings  and  made 
some  very  impressive  rem»arks  on  the  answer  given  to  Blind 
Bartimeus,  in  Luke  xviii.  37,  "They  told  him,  that  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  passeth  by."  Miss  Campbell,  a  Sunday-school 
teacher,  was  present,  and  shordy  after  wrote  that  striking 
hymn,  which  has  been  sung  by  thousands,  and  tens  of 
thousands,  the  world  over.  It  struck  me  that  it  might  be 
set  to  music,  and  I  found  it  could  be  sung  very  well  to  the 
tune  "  Sweet  Hour  of  Prayer."  There  were  originally  nine 
verses.  For  twelve  years  I  have  used  it,*  and  it  has  ahvays 
been  popular  in  evangelistic  services  ;  multitudes  have  been 
av/akened  by  it,  and  led  to  cry  out,  as  did  the  blind  man, 
**  Jesus,  Thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me  ! " 

*  See  "Hymns  of  Salvation,"  edited  by  E.  P.  Hammond. 
Pp.  26  and  27.  This  hymn  was  also  one  of  the  favourites  ia  *'  Songs 
AND  Solos,"  and  was  frequently  sung  with  great  effect  by  Mr.  Sankey. 


Sa  THE  GAMBLER. 

A  gambler  once  came  into  a  morning  meeting,  whicli 
crowded  the  Congregational  Church  in  Lockport,  N.Y., 
while  we  w^ere  singing  that  hymn ;  and  at  the  close  of  it, 
though  it  was  the  first  meeting  he  had  attended,  he  arose, 
and  with  tears  streaming  down  his  cheeks  begged  the  Chris- 
<  ians  to  pray  for  him.  Earnest  prayer  at  once  ascended  in 
his  behalf,  and  it  was  answered  A  few  nights  after,  in 
^elating  his  experience  before  a  large  assembly  in  Dr. 
Wisner's  Church,  he  referred  to  this  hymn  as  having  been 
the  means  of  awakening  him,  and  added,  "  As  I  v/ent  out 
of  the  church  that  day,  and  over  the  canal,  I  threw  the 
*  Devil's  Testament,'  with  its  fifty-two  leaves,  into  it."  I  am 
sure  he  never  played  a  card  afterwards.  He  lived  a  con- 
sistent Christian  life,  and  has  since  died  a  happy  death. 

I  might  fill  pages  relating  similar  instances  to  illustrate 
the  good  this  hymn  has  accomplished. 

I  have  been  extremely  sorry  to  see  that  in  many  of  the 
hymn-books  which  contain  it,  the  second  verse,  which  k  as 
follows,  is  omitted : 

**  E'en  children  feel  the  potent  spell, 
And  haste  their  new-found  joy  to  tell  5 
In  crowds  they  to  the  place  repair 
"Where  Christians  daily  bow  in  prayer  J 
Hosannas  mingle  with  the  cry, 
•Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by  1**' 

The  seven  verses  together  are  a  little  sermon  in  them* 
selves,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  they  are  so  connected  that 
none  of  them  should  be  discarded.  By  this  hymn,  I 
believe  multitudes  have  been  led  to  Christ ;  and  they  ov/e  a 
debt  of  gratitude  to  I\Ir.  Pardee  for  having  suggested,  as 
wxU  as  to  Miss  Campbell  for  having  written,  it.  I  have  'c^een 
led  to  WTite  these  words  partly  for  the  sake  of  giving  em- 
phasis to  Mr.  Pardee's  words,  in  "  The  Sabbath-school 
Indey/'  on  the  eaily  conversion  of  children ; 


MR.  PARDEE'S  WORDS,  33 

"Immediate  conversion  ought  to  be  the  aim  and  ex- 
pectation of  every  faithful  Sabbath-school  teacher.  It  is 
indeed  a  poor  excuse  to  suffer  a  child  to  drown  because  we 
have  but  one  opportunity  of  saving  it.  V/hen  a  child  is  in 
danger  of  perishing,  we  do  not  first  try  to  educate  it,  but  tc 
save  it.  The  fact  evidently  is,  that  the  great  mass  ol 
children  ought  to  be  led  directly  to  Christ  and  become 
child-Christians  without  delay ;  and  multitudes  would  be  so 
led,  methinks,  if  parents  and  teachers  and  pastors  had  suffi- 
cient confidence  in  the  power  of  God's  Vvord  and  Spirit, 
and  had  faith  in  the  early  conversion  of  children  to  God. 
Many  of  our  most  learned  divines  and  most  devoted  and 
useful  Christian  ladies  date  their  conversion  from  the  early 
ages  of  three,  four,  five,  and  six  years. 

"  We  have  heard  many  pastors  declare  in  Sabbath-school 
conventions,  that  *  They  never  could  remember  when  they 
did  not  love  the  Lord  Jesus  with  all  their  hearts.'  And  we 
believe  with  the  pious  Richard  Baxter,  that  if  Christiai 
parents  were  faithful  in  the  use  of  the  means  God  has  pul 
in  their  hands,  most  of  their  children  would  be  converted 
before  they  are  old  enough  to  understand  a  sermon. 

"  It  is  a  fact  that  should  never  be  forgotten,  that  the 
children,  even  the  little  children  of  our  Christian  families 
and  Sunday-schools,  all  want  to  be  Christians  more  than 
they  want  anything  else.  Little  ones  of  five  or  six  years  tell 
us  that  they  wet  their  pillows  night  after  night  with  teais  of 
sorrow  for  sin  ;  and,  more  than  all  earthly  longings,  they  long 
for  some  one  to  lead  them  to  Jesus.  Such  is  the  testimony 
of  devoted  ministers  and  Christian  ladies  in  great  numbers ; 
and  many  of  us  can  realize  it  all,  most  bitterly,  if  we  will 
only  recall  our  early  childhood  and  Uve  that  over  again, 
v^  **  Said  one  little  girl  of  four  summers,  *  Mamma,  I  should 
think  that  anybody  who  knows  Jesus  would  love  Him.' 

"  This  IS  the  feeling  of  well-trahied  children  in  great 

3 


34  THE  KNOWLEDGE  REQUIRED, 

numbers.    They  want  pure,  simple  instruction  as  to  who 
Jesus  Carist  is,  and  what  He  is  to  them. 

All  the  Gospel  knov/ledge  really  necessary  for  salvation 
lies,  as  it  were,  in  a  nut-shelL  The  knowledge  of  their  fall 
and  sinfulness,  and  the  atonemxent  and  redemption  there  is 
in  Jesus  Christ,  and  which,  to  a  wihing  mind,  can  be  taught 
in  a  few  minutes,  is  all  the  knowledge  really  necessary  for 
s:ilvation.  Really  teach  this,  and  it  v/ill  remain  attached  to 
the  natural  conscience,  and  only  awaits  the  spark  of  grace 
from  the  Holy  Spirit  to  descend  and  act  upon  it,  and  renew 
the  heart  and  change  the  life. 

"This  subject  is  one  of  overwhelmxing  importance.  It 
is  the  vital  point  of  all  Bible  teaching.  When  Sabbath- 
school  teachers  learn  the  holy  art  of  leading  children  to 
Jesus,  then  we  may  expect  conversions.  Sometimes  ^¥e 
have  known  one-third  of  all  the  members  of  large  Sabbath- 
schools  to  unite  with  the  Church  of  Christ  in  a  single  season. 
Why  should  not  this  oftener  be  the  case  ?  Why  should  it 
not  be  the  general  rule  in  all  our  schools  ?  and  will  it  not  be 
so,  if  the  teachers  will  but  have  faith  in  God,  faith  in  His 
Word,  and  faith  in  childhood,  and  aim  directly  to  bring  the 
children  to  Christ  for  salvation  ?  The  great  point  is  to  get 
Bible  truth,  the  Word  of  God,  which  is  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  to  bear  directly  on  the  conscience,  heart,  and  life 
of  the  child.  Convince  him  thereby  of  his  sin ;  then  lead 
him  by  a  simple  trusting  faith  to  Jesus'  blood  shed  for  him. 
Seek  the  proffered,  willing  aid  of  God's  Holy  Spirit  be- 
lievingly,  and  the  vvork  is  done.  *  This  is  Hfe  eternal,  that 
they  might  know  Thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ 
whom  Thou  hast  sent '  "  (John  xvii.  3). 

LITTLE   ELIZA. 

A  little  more  than  eleven  years  ago,  there  were  some 
CLiidrcn's  Meetings  in  Tovvanda,  Pennsylvania,  where  a  good 


LITTLE  ELIZA,  35 

many  children  and  youth  learned  to  love  the  dear  Saviour. 
Little  Eliza,  my  wife's  niece,  only  four  and  a  half  years  of 
age,  wanted  to  go  with  her  brothers  and  sisters  to  the 
meetings.  Just  to  please  her,  her  father  and  mother  per- 
mitted her  to  go.  I  do  not  think  they  imagined  at  the  time 
that  she  would  understand  what  was  said,  or  v/ould  get  any 
good.  But  though  she  was  so  little,  Eliza  did  understand 
all  that  was  said  about  Jesus  dying  on  the  cross,  that  we 
might  have  our  sins  forgiven  and  be  saved  for  ever  in 
heaven.  And  when  she  heard  that  God  was  waiting  to 
accept  little  children  for  Christ's  sake,  she  went  to  Him  in 
believing  prayer,  and  asked  Him  to  forgive  her  sins,  and 
give  her  a  new  heart,  and  make  her  His  own  child.  1  often 
talked  with  her  after  that,  and  felt  quite  sure  that  she  had 
trusted  in  Christ,  and  was  saved. 

That  was  in  January,  1866.  Nearly  three  years  passed 
away,  and  still,  day  by  day,  little  Eliza  Hved  the  life  of  a 
Christian.  All  who  knew  her  felt  that  she  did  truly  love 
the  blessed  Saviour  of  Httle  children,  and  that  daily  she 
tried  to  please  Him.  I  could  not  help  loving  her,  and  so 
did  all  who  knew  her. 

I  cannot  tell  you  how  sad  we  felt  when  one  day 
in  London,  we  received  a  letter  from  her  father, 
snying : 

"  I  write  to  tell  you  of  tlie  death  of  our  dear  little 
daughter  Eliza,  who  went  to  her  Saviour  about  one  o'clock 
in  the  morning  of  October  26,  after  an  illness  of  only  thirty- 
four  hours,  aged  seven  years,  five  months,  and  fourteen 
^ays.  I  left  home  on  T^Ionday,  leaving  her  reading  her  last 
.Sabbath-school  book,  'On  the  Rock  and  on  the  Sand.'  She 
kissed  m.e  her  last  '  good-bye '  till  we  kiss  again  in  heaven- 
need  not  speak  to  you  of  her  lovely  Christian  life  and 
character,  nor  of  the  winning  ways  of  this  favourite  little 
one.     What  a  comfort  we  have  in  knowing  that  long  ago 


^  THE  FA  THER  '5  LE  TTER, 

she  learned  to  know  and  love  and  trust  in  Jesus — that  she 
went  to  Him,  and  never  left  Him  ! " 

She  was  one  who  died  early.  But  her  father  wrote  of 
her: 

"  I  can  only  think  of  Eliza  as  having  gone  over  the 
river  first,  because  she  was  best  prepared;  and  as  she 
always  so  joyfully  ran  to  meet  me  on  my  return  home,  so 
she  will  run  into  my  arms  when  I  follow  her  home  to 
heaven." 


«a33rr->."  ■^^T^'*: 


"^^rfp^^"^^  "^'^^\ 


CHAPTER  III. 
WILL   CHILDREN  CONTINUE  STEADFAST? 

WORDS  OF  JESUS  : 

„  IT  IS  KOT  THE  WILT.  OF  YOU?.   FATHEK   VvIIICH  IS    IN  HEAVEN  THAT 
ONE  OF  TliEbE  LITTLE  O.NES  SHOULD  PESISn.** 

Ulait.  xviii.  14. 


Ril 


\^:^i^:£kk 


KNOW  that  many  believe  that  it  is  easy  to  work 
upon  the  feelings  cf  children— to  get  them 
thoroughly  excited  with  a  sort  of  religious  en- 
thusiasm, and  then  to  ask  them  if  they  love  Jesus,  and  if 
they  say  "Yes,"  to  pronounce  them  converted.  I  know 
that  even  good  Christians  who  have  not  had  the  opportunity 
of  labouring  among  children  for  their  salvation,  have  been 
heard  to  express  ideas  similar  to  these. 

Years  ago,  when  I  first  began  to  labour  amongst  them, 
and  saw  them  in  large  numbers  profess  to  have  experienced 
a  change  of  heart,  the  question  was  often  asked  me,  *'  Do 
you  believe  those  children  have  been  really  converted?" 
At  that  time  I  had  no  answer  to  give,  for  the  reason  that  I 
had  no  data  on  which  to  form  a  correct  conclusion. 

Before  we  can  reason  philosophically  by  the  law  of 
induction,  and  lay  down  principles  and  conclusions,  philo- 
sophers teach  us  that  we  must  gather  a  great  number  of 
facts  from  different  sources.  For  instance,  we  say  the  sun 
will  rise  to-morrow,  simply  because  shice  the  creation  of  the 
world  it  has,  day  after  day,  thrown  i%  rays  upon  the  earth 


S8  AfY  0 IVN  EXPERIENCE, 

r.s  it  Uirns  upon  its  axis.     We  therefore  regard  it  safe  to  say 
that  the  sun  will  rise  to-morrow. 

The  only  answer  I  could  give  was,  "  I  hope  they  will 
hold  out.  I  know  that  we  have  prayed  for  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  awaken  them  and  show  them  their  sinfulness ;  I  know 
that  we  have  tried  to  hold  up  Christ  as  the  only  Saviour. 
But,  after  all,  it  may  prove  an  evanescent  work.  It  m.ay  be, 
that  it  is  only  excitement;  that  these  children's  feelings 
only  have  been  wrought  upon;  that  they  have- never  v/ith 
the  eye  of  faith  beheld  Christ  bleeding  on  the  cross  for 
them ;  and  tliat  therefore  their  present  earnestness  will  all 
pass  away  as  the  m.orning  cloud  and  the  early  dew." 

This  was  the  only  position  that  I  had  any  authority  for 
taking  fifteen  and  twenty  years  ago ;  but  since  that  period  I 
have  taken  great  pains  to  ascertain  v/hat  have  been  the 
prominent  results  of  what  might  be  called  the  phenomena 
concerning  these  children.  And  now  I  feel  that  I  am  in  a 
position  to  state  definite  facts  that  certainly  ought  to 
encourage  the  faith  of  those  who  have  had  less  opportunity 
of  observing  the  result  of  labours  put  forth  directly  for  the 
salvation  of  the  young. 

I  have  frequently  revisited  places,  and  found  those  who 
years  ago  were  converted  when  children,  grown  up  to  be 
men  and  v/omen ;  and  what  is  more,  I  have  found  them 
earnest  Christia?TS,  and  ready  to  testify  that  when  "  those 
Children's  Meetings  were  held  "  in  their  town  or  city,  they 
experienced  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins  and  a  change  of 
heart,  and  then  began  to  live  the  new  life  which  is  by  the  faith 
of  the  Son  of  God,  "who  loved  us  and  gave  Himself  for  us. ' 

In  nearly  every  city  and  town  where  I  have  laboured  for 
the  last  few  years,  I  have  found  some  who  have  ol  their  own 
accord  said  to  me,  in  substance,  something  like  this  :  "  So 
many  years  ago,  v/hen  ^a  child,  I  was  converted  in  the 
Children's  Meetings  held  in  our  place,  and  I  thank  Goc  for 


DR.  PRIME'S  "FIVE  YEARS  OF  FRAVER."  39 

it ;  for  I  have  thus  been  kept  by  His  grace  from  a  thousand 
sins  into  which  others  of  my  age  have  fallen." 

An  item  of  experience  with  regard  to  the  Children's 
Meetings  I  was  permitted  to  hold  in  London,  in  1867, 
bears  upon  the  subject  of  this  chapter.  To  show  how 
God's  providence  unexpectedly  prepares  the  way  for  His 
people  to  work  for  Him,  it  m.ay  be  interesting  to  refer  to  a 
singular  circumstance,  vrhich  led  to  our  visit  to  England. 

In  the  summer  of  1864,  I  was  sitting  under  a  tree  near 
"  Mountain  House  "  in  the  Catskill  T\Iountains,  reading  a 
book,  when  a  gentleman  passing  asked  me  if  I  could  tell 
him  the  way  to  Eagle  Rock.  I  replied  that  I  should  be 
happy  to  s/ioza  him  the  way.  The  consequence  was  that 
we  spent  the  forenoon  together  conversing  m.ostly  upon 
religious  topics,  and  scenes  and  persons  that  we  v/ere  both 
acquainted  with  in  other  lands.  We  did  not  learn  each 
other's  names  until  we  returned  to  the  hotel,  when  he  intro- 
duced me  to  his  wife,  Mrs.  E.  D.  G.  Prime,  daughter  of 
Dr.  Goodell,  of  Constantinople.  Dr.  Prime  told  me  that 
his  brother  was  writing  a  sequel  to  "  The  Power  of  Prayer," 
and  asked  if  I  had  anything  on  the  subject  of  ansv/ers  to 
prayer  and  concerning  the  conversion  of  children.  I  gave 
him  a  copy  of  "  The  Harvest  Work  of  the  Holy  Spirit," 
and  referred  him  to  some  of  the  facts  narrated,  which  were 
afterwards  put  into  his  brother's  book. 

In  1 868,  four  years  aftenvards,  I  received  a  letter  from 
the  Hon.  and  Rev.  Baptist  Noel,  of  London,  saying  that  he 
had  been  reading  "  Five  Years  of  Prayer,"  by  Dr.  Prime, 
which  had  been  r=;published  in  England,  and  that  his  heart 
was  deeply  moved  in  hearing  of  what  God  had  been  doing 
by  His  Holy  Spirit  in  the  conversion  of  children  in  America. 
In  his  letter  he  requested  me  to  come  to  London  and  hold 
a  series  of  meetings  similar  to  those  of  which  he  had  read 
in  America.     He  said  that  he  believed  that  oiher  churches 


40  HON.  AND  REV,  BAPTIST  NOEL. 

would  imlle,  and  the  work  would  spread  through  the  city  j 
and  though  it  might  begin  v/ith  the  children,  it  would  not 
end  there.  The  invitation  was  accepted.  I  found  Baptist 
Noel  surrounded  with  a  most  earnest,  consecrated  band  of 
Christian  men  and  women.  They  had  gi-eat  confidence  in 
their  pastor,  then  nearly  seventy  years  of  age.  He  had 
long  been  with  them,  and  they  seemed  ready  at  once  to 
comply  with  every  request  he  made.  Much  prayer  was 
offered  for  a  great  blessing. 

When  the  Children's  Meetings  commenced,  on  Sunday 
afternoon,  his  large  church  was  crowded  in  ever^^  part.  The 
Spirit  of  God  manifested  itself  with  mighty  power,  as  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say,  that  at  the 
very  first  meeting  hundreds  were  bathed  in  tears.  There 
had  been  nothing  said  to  work  upon  the  fears  of  the  children. 
The  one  theme  was  the  love  of  Jesus  in  giving  Himself 
to  die  for  us.  On  Monday  the  same  scene  was  repeated ; 
the  aisles  were  so  crov/ded  in  the  inquiry  meeting,  to  which 
nearly  every  one  remained,  that  it  was  difficult  to  move  about. 
All  day  Tuesday  I  was  troubled  as  to  the  best  method  of 
conducting  the  second  meeting.  In  my  own  mind  I  was 
satisfied  that  a  division  ought  to  be  made  between  those 
who  were  anxious  and  those  who  were  rejoicing  in  Christ; 
yet  I  was  fearful  to  propose  this  division,  lest  Mr.  Noel 
should  not  approve  of  it.  I  feared  lest  I  should  do  any- 
thing to  forfeit  the  confidence  of  this  good  man.  I  felt  that, 
if  I  were  to  labour  in  London  for  some  length  of  time,  it 
was  very  important  to  have  the  co-operation  of  this  man, 
who,  if  he  had  rem.ained  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  many 
believe,  would  have  been  Bishop  of  London. 

In  the  evening  of  Tuesday,  as  I  entered  the  church, 
it  presented  the  same  crowded  appearance.  Mr.  Noel 
touched  me  upon  the  shoulder  and  inv'ted  me  to  his  vestry. 
In  his  quiet  manner  lis  said,  "  I  lound,  as  did  also  others, 


A  T  JOHN  S  TREE  T  CHA  PEL,  41 

that  there  were  a  large  number  of  children  in  the  meeting 
yesterday  wlio  had  evidently  experienced  a  change  of  heart. 
It  seems  to  me,  therefore,  that  it  would  be  wise  to  call  those 
who  have  been  converted  into  the  side  room,  and  then  let 
them  come  out  upon  the  platform,  that  their  parents  and 
teachers  may  see  that  they  have  *  the  witness  of  the  Spirit ' 
and  are  not  ashamed  to  confess  Christ." 

I  replied,  "  That  is  just  v/hat  I  desired  all  day,  but  I 
hesitated  to  propose  it,  fearing  that  course  might  not  meet 
your  approval.  I  think,"  said  I,  "that  it  is  natural  and 
proper,  but  I  would  rather  you  would  propose  it" 

"  I  will  willingly  do  so,"  he  replied. 

At  the  close  of  the  Address  ha  asked  the  children  who 
had  been  converted  to  meet  him  in  the  side  room.  I  at 
once  arose  and  warned  the  children  against  self  deception, 
and  told  them  that  if  any  went  into  the  room  among  the 
young  converts  who  had  not  been  converted,  they  would  tell 
a  terrible  falsehood. 

I  dwelt  at  some  length  upon  the  spiritual  evidences  of 
a  change  of  heart,  and  to  make  doubly  sure,  I  requested 
five  or  six  judicious  persons  to  act  as  door-keepers,  and  to 
allow  none  to  pass  through  until  they  had  been  examined 
with  great  care.  A  long  time  was  spent  in  examining  two 
hundred  and  thirty.  We  then  followed  them  into  the  vestry 
and  there  re-examined  them.  Still  we  could  not  induce 
any  of  the  two  hundred  and  thirty  to  go  back  into  their 
seats.  Mr.  Noel  then  opened  another  door,  and,  like  a 
shepherd  followed  by  a  flock  of  lambs,  he  walked  upon  tlie 
large  elevated  platform  with  all  these  children  following 
him.  Many  parents  in  the  gallery  were  in  tears  as  they 
pointed  out  one  or  more  of  their  children,  saying,  "  There 
is  our  dear  child."  Some  who  were  not  Christians  found 
themselves  under  deep  conviction,  and  felt  a  stronger  desire 
to  be  ibliovvers  of  Jesus  than  they  had  ever  experienced 


42  CONTINUING  STEADFAST, 

before.  The  same  thing  was  repeated  the  next  day,  and 
about  one  hundred  more  were  added. 

Mr.  Noel  printed  a  great  deal  upon  the  subject  which 
was  read  all  over  Great  Britain.  He  thoroughly  endorsed 
the  work,  and  repeatedly  expressed  his  conviction  that  it 
was  not  of  man,  but  most  unmistakably  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  At  the  end  of  three  weeks  he  gave  a  soiree  in 
the  church,  to  which  he  allowed  none  to  come  except  those 
who  gave  evidence,  after  having  been  watched  and  examined 
by  their  Sunday-school  teachers,  that  they  had  experienced 
God's  regenerating  grace  in  their  hearts.  The  number 
of  those  admitted,  though  many  were  refused,  v/as  three 
hundred.* 

At  the  end  of  the  year  I  returned  again  to  Mr.  Noel's 
church,  and  at  the  close  of  the  first  meeting  I  requested 
that  those  children,  and  only  those,  who  one  year  before 
were  examined  as  young  converts  and  allowed  to  go  into 
the  side  room,  and  from  thence  to  the  platform,  should  do 
the  same  again.  To  the  delight  of  all,  and  the  astonish- 
ment, no  doubt,  of  some,  those  same  cJiildren  v/ere  there, 
the  number  nearly  as  large  as  the  year  before ;  and  with  the 
same  confidence  and  humility  they  sat  upon  the  platform 
again.  It  was  a  most  impressive  sight,  one  which  those 
who  witnessed  it  will  not  soon  forget.  We  spoke  with  many 
of  those  dear  children  personal  1)^,  and  found  that  though 
some  of  them  had  passed  through  severe  trials,  and  at  times 
had  been  almost  ready  to  give  up  their  hope  in  Christ,  they 
had  nevertheless  been  upheld  by  the  Saviour's  promise — 

"  I  WILL  NEVER  LEAVE  TIIEE  NOR  FORSAKE  THEE." 

I  have,  in  one  way  and  another,  heard  from  many  of 
them  during  the  last  ten  years.  My  heart  has  often  been 
rejoiced  to  learn  of  their  progress  in  the  divine  Hfe.     One 

•  Tliese  remarkable  Children's  Meetings  at  John  Street  Cliapel 
were  fully  reported  at  the  time  in  The  Revival  (now  TJie  Christian), 


DR.  J.  0.  FI SHE'S  LETTER,  43 

of  those  dear  children  was  burned  to  death,  but  though  she 
went  home  in  a  chariot  of  fire,  she  v/as  heard  to  sing 
amidst  her  suffering — 

**  Jesus,  take  this  heart  of  mine, 
Make  it  pure  and  wholly  Thine  5 
Thou  hast  bled  and  died  foi*  me, 
I  will  henceforth  live  for  Thee/* 

While  writing  this  chapter,  I  have  received  a  letter  from 
the  Rev.  J.  O.  Fiske,  D.U.,  for  many  years  pastor  of  the 
leading  church  at  Bath,  JNIaine.  Ke  is  knovrn  all  through 
New  En2:land  as  a  most  conser/ative  and  reliable  man.  His 
words  will  have  weight  with  those  v/ho  know  him. 

"Bath,  Maine,  Auonst   3,  1877. 
"Rev.  E.  p.  Ha^.imond: 

*•  My  dear  Brother, — In  reply  to  your  note  of  the 
2 1  St  inst,  I  am  happy  to  say  that  your  labours  among  our 
people  in  the  year  1862  were  eminently  successful  in  awaken- 
ing an  interest  among  the  children,  as  well  as  in  securing  the 
conversion  of  many  older  persons.  At  that  time  quite  a 
fiu/fibsr  of  young  children  expi'essed  a  hope  in  Christy  and 
hecaine  members  of  our  church.  These  have  proved  by  their 
subsequent  lives  that  they  ivcre  true  disciples.  Some  appeared 
to  be  interested,  who  did  not  subsequently  give  any  evidence 
of  having  been  converted;  but  I  have  been  frequently 
called  to  see  in  sickness,  or  in  the  hour  of  approaching 
death,  others  who  had  made  no  public  profession  of  their 
faith,  but  who  evidently  enjoyed  and  had  enjoyed  for  years 
the  comforts  of  that  hope  which  they  first  realized  when  you 
were  here.  Some  of  these  were  from  families  in  vv^hich  no 
strong  Christian  influence  existed  to  help  them. 

*'  i  look  back  with  pleasure  to  your  visit  here,  and 
rejoice  in  God  that  so  many  precious  lambs  were  then 
gathered  into  the  fold  of  our  Lord. 

"  Yours  very  cordially,  John  O.  Fiske.'' 


44  THE  CONVERSION  OP 

REV.  WILLIAM  Taylor's  work  among  the  children 

IN   AFRICA. 

While  at  Ocean  Grove  in  the  summer  of  1877,  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  the  Rev.  Wm.  Taylor,  \vhG  has 
accomplished  such  a  great  work  in  India  and  Africa.  He 
has  written  me  the  following  letter,  which  bears  on  the 
subject  of  this  book  : 

"  In  answer  to  your  inquiry  about  the  steadfastness  of 
converted  children,  I  have  only  time  now  for  a  fact  or  two. 
At  Heald  Town,  Africa,  we  had  three  hundred  and  sixteen 
converted  in  two  days  \  about  one  hundred  of  these  were 
children. 

"  *  But,  dear  me,*  says  one,  *  such  sudden  work  as  that 
must  be  very  transient — over  three  hundred  persons  pro- 
fessing conversion  at  a  two-days'  service,  and  working  week- 
days too ;  why,  it  must  have  been  a  straw  fire  that  will  soon 
die  out'  Indeed,  after  so  long  a  preparation,  why  should 
not  *the  Lord  whom  ye  seek  come  suddenly  to  His 
temple '  ?  Was  not  that  the  way  the  Holy  Spirit  did  when 
He  first  entered  on  His  great  work  in  Jerusalem?  If  He 
hath  changed  His  methods  of  working,  it  is  a  wonder  He 
hath  not  informed  us,  so  that  we  may  adjust  ourselves  to 
them.  That  was  a  quick  word  by  which  three  thousand 
souls  were  saved  in  one  day,  under  the  first  Gospel  sermon 
they  ever  heard  in  their  lives,  and  yet  thirty-three  years 
afterwards  St.  Luke  testified  to  their  steadfastness,  saying, 
*They  continued  steadfastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and 
fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers.' 

"  To  illustrate  the  genuine  character  and  permanency  of 
this  work  of  the  Spirit,  at  Heald  Town,  so  far  as  we  can  in 
the  time  which  has  since  elapsed,  I  may  be  allowed  to  copy 
part  of 


CHILDREN  IN  AFRIC^K  45 

A  LETTER    BY   REV.  WM.  SARGENT, 

who  is  prepared  to  testify  of  this  work  nearly  ten  months 
after  my  visit.  His  letter  is  dated  Graham's  Town,  April  4, 
1867,  in  which  he  says : 

"  *  I  am  thankful  to  be  able  to  say,  that  up  to  the  time 
of  my  leaving  Heald  Town,  and  since  my  departure,  the 
work  has  been  widening  and  deepening.  At  the  time  of  our 
District  Meeting  in  January,  besides  about  two  hundred 
old  members,  who  had  either  obtained  for  the  first  time  a 
sense  of  their  acceptance  with  God,  or  had  recovered  what 
they  had  lost,  and  many  who  had  been  raised  to  a  higher 
platform  of  Christian  experience,  there  were  three  hundred 
and  fifty-eight,  principally  young  persons,  who  had  been 
received  into  the  church,  most  of  whom  had  been  made 
happy  in  God's  pardoning  love.  At  the  Quarterly  Visitation 
I  was  truly  astonished  with  the  experience  of  some  of  these 
young  people,  who  described  their  conversion  in  a  way  that 
would  have  been  impossible,  had  they  not  been  tauglit  of 
God.  Out  of  about  four  hundred  professing  conversion, 
not  above  two  or  three  had,  up  to  the  time  of  my  leaving 
Keald  ToAvn,  failed  to  attend  prayer-meetings,  where  they 
spoke  of  their  continued  love  for  Christ.  This,  I  may 
remark,  has  been  a  striking  peculiarity  in  the  recent  revival 
during  your  visit  in  these  parts.  Imniediately  after  every 
previous  revival,  there  was  always  a  considerable  falling 
away;  but  the  cases  of  defalcation,  in  this  instance,  have  been 
exceedingly  fev/,  compared  with  the  numbers  brought  in. 

"  *  The  Sabbath-schools  and  day-schools,  in  a  short  time, 
almost  doubled  their  members,  and  the  thirst  for  learning 
among  the  young  people  became  mxost  manifest  in  an  un- 
precedented application  for  school-books,  and  that  from 
children  in  the  adjacent  hamlets,  who  previously  cared  for 
none  of  these  things. 


46  CHILDREN'S  PRAYER  MEETINGS. 

"  *  Many  of  these  young  people  formed  themselves  into 
prayer -meethigs,  \yhich  they  held  in  the  fieUs  alone.  One 
Sabbath  afternoon,  not  long  before  leaving  Heald  Town,  I 
was  walking  a  little  below  the  Institution  towards  the  "klool" 
(a  deep  gorge),  when  I  saw  some  twenty  or  thirty  native 
children  making  their  way  down  into  the  "  bush."  I  was 
suspicious  that  they  were  meeting  for  purposes  of  play,  and 
therefore  watched  them.  I  soon  found,  to  my  agreeable 
surpiise,  that  they  were  a  company  of  converted  children, 
met  for  a  praycr-rneeting,  spending  an  hour  after  school  in 
alternate  prayer  and  singing.  The  six  or  eight  European 
children  at  Heald  Town  also  formed  themselves  into  a 
prayer-meeting. 

**  *  My  little  girl,  nine  years  of  age,  v/ent  from  house  to 
house  among  the  Europeans  at  the  station,  and  invited  all 
the  children  about  her  own  age  to  a  little  room,  the  use  of 
which  she  had  obtained  for  the  purpose,  and  formed  them 
into  a  prayer-mccting. 

"  *  One  day  she  came  to  me,  saying,  '*  Pa,  what  can  1  do 
for  that  poor  sick  m.an  ?  " 

"  *  She  had  heard  me  speak  of  a  sick  native  man,  whom 
I  had  been  visiting.     I  said, 

"  *  "  What  do  you  mean,  my  dear?  " 

*'*"0h,"  she  replied,  "I  should  like  to  do  something 
for  him  ?  " 

"  *  I  told  her  that  she  might  go  and  buy  a  fev/  groceries 
at  the  shop,  and  take  them  to  him.  She  did  so  ;  but  took 
her  New  Testament  under  her  arm,  and  having  given  him 
the  groceries,  she  read  several  portions  of  God's  Word  to 
him,  and  then  asked  him  if  he  was  happy.  I  knev/  nothing 
of  it  till  the  man  told  me  himself  what  a  comfort  it  had 
been  to  him.  AV.  S.' 

**  Hev.  Clark  P.  Hard,  Presiding  Elder  of  Madras  District, 


*'  I'VE  FO  UND  JES  US**  47 

India,  a  most  indefatigable  and  successful  minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel, was  converted  to  God  when  he  was  a  child  of  five  years. 
"I  believe  it  to  be  God's  plan  to  have  the  children 
iustified  and  purified  so  as  to  give  perfect  praise  to 
Him  while  in  the  nursery — the  department  of  babes  and 
sucklings — and  thus  develop  a  fireproof  Christian  character 
before  they  are  brought  into  contact  with  the  coniipting 
agencies  and  influences  of  the  outside  world. 
**  Your  brother  in  Jesus, 

«Wm.  Taylor." 

Mr.  Taylor  also  states  the  following : 

"  I  knew  a  little  girl  nine  years  old,  who,  at  a  meeting  I 
once  attended,  longed  to  find  Jesus.  The  Good  Spirit  had 
spoken  to  her  heart ;  and  as  the  big  tears  were  streaming 
down  her  face,  she  put  her  little  hands  together,  and  said, 
*0  Lord,  for  Christ's  sake,  have  mercy  on  me  a  sinner. 
For  Christ's  sake,  give  me  a  new  heart*  She  prayed  very 
earnestly  for  some  time,  and  then  as  she  saw  that  Jesus  had 
died  for  her,  her  countenance  brightened  up,  and  she  said, 
'  Oh,  praise  the  Lord  !  I've  found  Jesus.  He  is  my  Saviour. 
Gloiy  to  God,  He  has  pardoned  all  my  sins.'  She  was 
so  glad,  that  she  did  not  know  what  to  do.  She  was  an 
orphan  girl,  and  had  not  known  a  parent's  care  for  years ; 
but  now  she  knev/  that  God  was  her  Father,  and  loved  her, 
and  cared  for  her.  As  she  was  praising  the  Lord  aloud,  a 
minister  said  to  her,  *  Little  girl,  what  are  you  praising  the 
Lord  for  ? '  *  Because  I  love  Him,'  said  she ;  *  glory  be  to 
God,  I  do  love  Him.*  *Why  do  you  love  Him?'  continued 
the  minister.  *  Because  He  first  loved  me,  and  He  has 
pardoned  my  sins.' 

"  The  preacher  at  first  thought  that  she  was  so  small 
she  did  not  know  what  she  was  about,  but  he  soon  found 
that  she  was  truly  enlightened  by  the  *  Spirit  of  adopiioa.' 


PO  IVER  OF  EXAMPLE* 


The  next  day  her  brother  said  to  her,  rather  tauntingly,  *Ah, 
Virginia,  I  think  your  goodness  will  not  last  long ! '  *  Well. 
James,'  said  she  meekly,  *  your  thinks  will  not  remove  it' 

"Virginia  grew  up  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  is  now  a 
Christian  mother  in  California.'* 


Paris  R ,  a  boy  of  my  acquaintance  in  Virginia, 

found  peace  in  believing  when  he  was  eight  years  of  age. 
I  saw  him  at  a  camp  meeting  when  he  was  nine  years  old, 
and  he  was  called  on  to  pray  in  public  nearly  as  often  as 
any  of  the  m.en,  and  prayed  with  much  greater  effect  than 
many  of  them. 

During  that  camp  meeting  Paris's  old  grandfather  be- 
caiTie  awakened  to  see  his  lost  condition  as  a  stranger  to 
God,  and  asked  his  httle  grandson  to  pray  for  him. 

Oh,  could  you  have  seen  the  grey-headed  man  kneeling 
dov/n,  and  groaning  under  the  bondage  of  sin,  and  the  little 
boy  pleading  with  his  Father  in  heaven  to  have  mercy  on 
his  dear  grandfather,  you  would  have  said,  "What  a  mercy 
that  the  old  man  has  so  good  a  boy  to  pray  for  him  !  "  It 
was  believed  that  it  was  the  boy's  good  example  that  brought 
the  old  man  to  his  knees. 

Time  would  fail  to  tell  of  the  numerous  instances  of 
juvenile  piety  in  the  past  and  present  history  of  the  Church. 
Many  of  her  best  ministers,  and  a  large  proportion  of  her 
most  exemplary  members,  were  converted  in  their  childhood 
and  youth. 

Mary  W ,  of  Western  Virginia,  was  made  savingly 

acquainted  with  God  v/hen  she  was  eight  years  old. 

A  year  after  her  conversion,  her  father,  who  was  a  very 
wicked  man,  fell  out  with  her  class-leader. 

The  following  Sunday  morning,  after  Mary  had  drcr-scd 
herself  to  go  to  church,  her  father  said  to  her,  "  I^Iary, 


'*rLL  SHOOT  YOU."  49 

where  are  you  going?**  "I  am  going  to  class,  father," 
replied  the  little  girl  meekly.  "  You  sha'n't  go  to  class ;  I'm 
going  to  put  a  stop  to  it ;  you  sha'n't  go  any  more,"  replied 
the  father,  in  very  harsh  tones.  "  Oh,  father,  do  please  let 
me  go,"  said  I>Iary,  in  earnest  tones  of  supplication.  "  Hush 
up  !  not  a  word  !  I  tell  you  you  shall  not  go."  "  Father," 
said  Mary,  "  I  must  go  to  class.  The  Lord  will  be  dis- 
pleased with  m.e  if  I  don't  go ;  you  know,  father,  I  love  you. 
and  I  try  to  please  you,  but  I  must  net  displease  the  Lord." 
"If  you  go  to  class,  I'll  whip  you;  see  if  I  don't,"  said 
the  father.  What  was  the  poor  little  girl  to  do  ?  She  felt 
that  she  should  sin  against  the  Lord  if  she  did  not  go  to 
class:  if  she  went,  she  would  displease  her  father,  and  be 
punished. 

The  Apostle  Paul  says,  "  Children,  obey  your  parents  In 
the  Lord :  for  this  is  right ;"  but  this  wicked  old  parent  was 
not  "  in  the  Lord."  Still,  he  should  have  been  obeyed,  had 
he  not  set  his  authority  against  the  Lord.  "  Honour  thy 
father  and  thy  mother,"  is  the  law,  but  a  child  can  never 
do  that  by  dishonouring  God.  Unreserved  obedience  to 
parents  is  the  duty  of  all  children,  unless  they  clearly  see, 
as  little  Mary  did,  that  the  parents'  commands  are  in  oppo- 
sition to  God's  commands  :  then  it  becomes  their  duty  to 
"obey  God  rather  than  man." 

But  what  could  poor  Mary  W ,  a  little  girl  of  nine 

summers,  do,  when  her  father  said,  "  If  you  go  to  class,  I'll 
whip  you  "  ?  She  was  greatly  affected,  but  in  the  midst  of 
her  tears  said,  "  Father,  I  would  rather  take  a  whipping 
than  offend  the  Lord,  I  am  your  little  girl,  and  you  know 
I  want  to  be  good."  That  should  have  moved  a  father's 
heart,  but  it  only  enraged  him  the  more,  and  in  a  most 
violent  tone  he  said,  "You  saucy  imp,  if  you  go  to  class  I'll 
shoot  you."  "  Well,  father,"  said  Mary,  "  I  had  rather  be 
shot  than  sin  against  the  Lord,"  and  then   immediately 

4 


59  MARY'S  FA THER, 

Started  on  her  way  to  class.  The  wicked  father  followed 
her  outside  the  gate,  and  picking  up  a  thorn  bush,  struck 
her  with  it  a  couple  of  times,  tearing  her  bonnet  and  dress 
a  little ;  but  she  went  on,  and  he  returned  to  the  house. 
When  Mary  came  back,  with  her  heart  full  of  the  love  of 
Jesus,  her  mother  met  her  at  the  gate,  and  said,  "  Oh,  Mary, 
don't  go  into  the  house ;  your  father  has  loaded  the  gun, 
and  I  am  afraid  he  will  shoot  you."  The  mother  wept,  but 
did  not  take  hold  of  the  little  girl  to  restrain  her,  so  Mary 
v/alked  into  the  house.  The  father  had  gone  upstairs. 
When  Mary  went  in  she  began  to  sing  one  of  her  sweet 
hymns.  She  was  a  melodious  singer.  Often  listeners  were 
stirred,  and  burst  forth  in  tears. 

As  she  sang,  her  father  called  her,  "  Mary,  come  up 
here  ! "  she  immediately  obeyed,  and  went  upstairs,  with  the 
anticipation  of  being  shot  by  her  enraged  father.  She  had 
a  martyr's  spirit,  as  every  boy  and  girl  ought  to  have,  and 
was  not  afraid  to  die.  When  she  reached  the  top  of  the 
stairs,  her  father  said,  "  Mary,  that  is  a  very  pretty  song ; 
sing  some  more."  Then,  overcome  with  emotion,  he  dropped 
on  his  knees,  saying,  "  Mary,  will  you  forgive  your  wicked 
father?"  "  Oh  yes,  father,"  said  Mary,  as  she  put  her  arms 
round  his  neck,  "  I  forgive  you  with  all  my  heart."  "  Mary, 
Mary,  pray  for  me,"  said  he;  "oh,  pray  that  God  may  for- 
give my  sins  ! "  She  knelt  by  his  side,  and  with  streaming 
eyes,  pleaded  with  the  Lord  for  her  father.  The  struggle 
was  continued  for  hours,  but  resulted  in  the  man's  con- 
version to  God.  He  joined  the  Church,  and  in  it  Hved 
and  died. 

Mary  continued  steadfast  till  the  day  of  her  death.  She 
became  a  woman  oi  great  faith  and  usefulness.  Her  house 
was  a  home  for  the  preachers,  and  each  member  of  her 
family  took  delight  in  ministering  to  their  comfort.  I  hav« 
seen  scores  of  souls  converted  under  her  roof,  and,  as  I 


DR.  TODD'S  OPINION.  51 

believe,  principally  through  her  instrumentality.  She  has, 
during  my  absence  in  California,  gone,  in  holy  triumpli,  to 
her  home  in  heaven. 

Any  number  of  facts,  similar  to  these,  might  be  gathered 
to  assist  us  in  giving  a  positive  ansvrer  to  the  question  at  the 
heading  of  this  chapter,  Will  converted  children  co^f. 

TINUE   steadfast? 

Rev.  John  Todd  says  of  those  converted  early,  "  They 
were  like  the  early  small  stars  of  evening,  very  small,  very 
pure,  and  bright,  and  beautiful.  They  held  on  their  way,  too, 
gloriously.  I  do  not  fear  that  a  converted  child  will  dis- 
honour religion,  so  much  as  I  do  that  the  aged  sinner,  who 
has  lived  in  the  iron  habits  of  sin  for  half  a  century,  v»dll 
do  so.  With  him  it  is  the  v/ork  of  Hfe  and  death  to  break 
off  these  old  habits.  His  thoughts,  v/icked  and  vile,  will 
ever  and  anon  flow  back  into  the  old  deep-worn  channels. 
But  piety  in  the  child  gushes  up  Hke  the  breaking  out  of  a 
new  spring,  making  its  own  channel,  grov;ing,  and  widening, 
and  beautifying  as  it  flows." 

Dr.  Spencer,  in  his  "  Pastor's  Sketches,"  continually 
refers  to  cases  which  have  come  under  his  own  observation, 
yet  no  one  would  think  of  calling  him  an  egotist  He  was, 
I  believe,  an  humble,  earnest  minister,  seeking  to  know 
God's  will,  and  then  desirous  of  foliov/ing  it. 

My  one  great  object  in  writing  this  book  is,  as  I  said  at 
the  outset,  to  enable  God's  people  everywhere  to  labour, 
with  more  success,  for  the  salvation  of  children.  If  a  miner 
prospects  in  a  nev/  region,  and  finds  rich  beds  of  silver  or 
gold,  far  beyond  his  compass,  he  naturally  tells  his  friends, 
and  the  news  soon  flies  on  the  wings  of  the  wind.  Multi- 
tudes flock  thither,  as  soon  as  they  are  satisfied  that  gold  in 
abundance  is  obtainable.  So  I  feel  that  the  souls  of  these 
dear  children  are  more  precious  than  silver  or  gold.     My 


52  DR.  CAMFBELVS  STATEMENT, 

great  desire  is  to  encourage  many  more  to  work  this  mine, 
and  to  win  the  souls  of  the  young,  wliich  shall,  one  day, 
form  their  "crown  of  rejoicing." 

One  thousand  and  one  children  from  the  Sabbath- 
schools  ALONE  in  and  about  Rochester,  Massachusscf.s, 
joined  the  churches,  as  the  result  of  God's  blessing  on  the 
union  meetings  held  there  in  1S63.  Among  the  number 
were  some  as  young  as  nine  years. 

DR.  Campbell's  stateiment, 

Tn  regard  to  this  work,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Campbell  pub- 
lished at  thf*  time  the  following  statement : — 

"  Six  years  ago  Mr.  Hammond  held  a  similar  series  of 
meetings  in  this  cit}^,  and  it  is  sometimes  asked,  *  What  has 
beoorrje  of  the  converts?  Several  hundreds  v/ere  received 
into  the  churches  at  the  time,  and  now,  after  the  lapse  of 
six  yearo,  who  can  find  them?'  At  the  Central  Church,  a 
careful  investigation  of  this  question  has  been  made,  with 
the  follov/ing  results : 

*'As  the  fruit  of  the  revival  season  of  1S63,  one  hundred 
and  sixty-three  persons  were  received  into  the  Central 
Church.  This  is  not  counting  a  large  number  who  have 
united  with  the  same  church  since  that  time,  and  who  refer 
their  conversion  to  that  occasion.  Of  the  one  hundred  and 
sixty-three,  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  are  either  in  good 
standing  in  the  church  to-day,  or  have  taken  a  regular 
dismission  to  other  churches,  or  have  died  in  hope.  The 
remaining  ten  are  marked  '  unknown,'  they  havmg  mostly 
removed  from  the  city ;  but,  with  the  exception  of  two  or 
three,  they  v/ere,  at  last  accounts,  walking  in  an  orderly 
Christian  manner.  This  is  the  record  of  a  church  that 
v/as,  for  nearly  tv.-o  years  subsequent  to  Mr.  Hammond's 
labours,  virtually  without  a  pastor.  Of  the  one  hundred 
unj  sixty-three  new  recruits,  onl^  ttn  missing  at  the  end  of 


PIICEBE  BARTLE TT '5  EXPERIENCE,  5  3 

six  years,  and  those  ten  most  of  them  dohig  well  at  lasi 
accounts.  This  statement  can  be  relied  upon,  and  it  shov.  s 
a  condition  of  things  almost  without  parallel  in  the  history 
of  revivals." 

THE  CONVERSION  OF  PHCEBS  BARTLETT. 

In  the  first  chapter  (p.  2)  I  alluded  to  Dr.  Jonathan 
EdTards's  account  of  the  conversion  of  Phccbe  Bartlett. 
I  venture  nov/  to  make  an  extract  from  his  interesting 
narrative : 

**  Slie  was  horn  m  March,  1731.  In  1735  she  was  greatly  affected 
by  the  talk  of  her  brother,  who  had  been  l.opefuljy  converted  a  little 
before,  at  about  eleven  years  of  age,  and  then  seriously  talked  to  her 
about  the  great  things  of  reHgioa, 

"  Iler  parents  did  not  know  of  it  at  that  time,  and  were  not  wont,  in 
the  counsels  they  gave  to  their  children,  particularly  to  direct  them- 
selves to  her,  by  reason  of  her  being  so  young,  and,  as  they  supposed, 
not  capable  of  understanding.  But  after  her  brother  had  talked  to  her, 
they  observed  her  listening  very  earnestly  to  the  advice  they  gave  to 
the  other  children,  and  she  was  observed  veiy  constantly  to  retire, 
several  times  in  a  day,  as  was  concluded,  for  secret  prayer ;  and  she 
grew  more  and  more  engaged  in  religion,  and  was  more  frequently  in 
her  closet,  till  at  last  she  was  wont  to  visit  it  five  or  six  times  in  a  day, 
and  was  so  engaged  in  it  that  nothing  would  at  any  time  divert  her 
from  her  stated  closet  exercises. 

"Her  mother  often  observed  and  watched  her,  when  such  things 
occurred  as  she  thought  most  likely  to  divert  her,  either  Ij  putting  it 
out  of  her  thoughts  or  otherwise  engaging  her  inclinations,  but  never 
could  observe  her  to  faiL 

*«  But  on  Thursday,  the  last  day  of  July,  about  the  middle  of  the 
day,  the  child  being  in  the  room  where  she  used  to  retire,  her  mother 
hsard  her  speaking  aloud,  which  was  unusual,  and  her  voice  seemed  to 
be  as  of  one  exceeding  importunate  and  engaged,  but  her  mother  coula 
distinctly  hear  oiily  these  words,  *  Pray,  blessed  Lord,  give  me  salva- 
tion! I  P?vAY,  EEG,  pardon  all  my  sins  !  *  When  the  child  had  doro 
prayer  she  came  and  sat  down  by  her  mother,  and  cried  out  aloud.  I'er 
mother  very  earnestly  asked  her  several  times  Vv'hat  the  mJttcr  Wai 
before  she  would  make  any  answer,  but  she  continued  crying,  like  o!is 


54  THE  HAPPY  CHANGE, 

in  anguish  of  spirit.  Her  mother  then  asked  her  whether  she  was 
afraid  that  God  would  not  give  her  salvation.  She  answered,  *  Yes,  I 
am  afraid  I  shall  go  to  hell ! '  Her  mother  then  endeavoured  to  quiet 
her,  and  told  her  she  would  not  have  her  cry ;  she  hoped  God  would 
give  her  salvation.  This  did  not  quiet  her  at  all — but  she  continued 
earnestly  ciying  for  some  time,  till  at  length  she  suddenly  ceased, 
and  began  to  smile,  and  presently  said,  with  a  smiling  countenance, 
*  Mother,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  come  to  me  1 '  Soon  after  the 
child  said  this,  she  retired  to  her  room,  and  her  mother  went  over 
to  her  brother's,  who  was  next  neighbour ;  and  when  she  came  back 
the  child  met  her  mother  with  this  cheerful  speech,  *  I  can  find  God 
now  I* 

*•  Then  the  child  spoke  again  and  said,  *  I  love  God  1 '  Her  mothei 
asked  her  how  well  she  loved  God,  whether  she  loved  God  better  than 
her  father  or  mother.  She  said,  *  Yes.'  Her  mother  asked  her  whether 
she  was  afraid  of  going  to  hell,  and  if  it  was  that  which  had  made  her 
cry.  She  answered,  'Yes,  I  was;  but  now  I  shall  not  be.*  Her  mother 
asked  her  whether  she  thought  that  God  had  given  her  salvation. 
She  answered,  *  Yes/  Her  mother  asked  her  when.  She  answered, 
*  To-day.' 

**  She  appeared  all  that  afternoon  exceedingly  cheerful  and  joyful. 
That  evening,  as  she  lay  in  bed,  she  called  to  her  one  of  her  little 
cousins,  who  was  present  in  the  room,  as  having  something  to  say  to 
him ;  and  when  he  came  she  told  him  that  heaven  was  better  than 
earth. 

"  On  the  Sabbath  she  was  asked  whether  she  believed  in  God.  She 
answered,  *  Yes.*  And  being  told  that  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God,  she 
made  ready  answer,  and  said,  *  I  know  it. ' 

*'From  this  time  there  has  appeared  a  very  remarkable  abiding 
change  in  the  child.  She  has  been  very  strict  upon  the  Sabbath,  and 
seems  to  long  for  ihe  Sabbath-day  before  it  comes,  and  will  often  in  the 
week-time  be  inquiring  how  long  it  is  to  the  Sabbath-day,  and  must 
have  them  particularly  counted  over  that  are  between  before  she  will  be 
contented." 

Dr.  Edwards  goes  on  to  describe  at  length  the  evidences 
which  she  continued  to  exhibit  of  a  change  of  heart,  showing 
5»er  deep  anxiety  for  the  salvation  of  her  brothers,  sisters, 
^uid  friends. 

We  do  not  doubt  that  many  said,  "  She  will  not  hold 
^ut ;"  but  she  adorned  religion  in  future  life,  became  the 


CHILDREN'S  LETTERS,  55 

wife  of  Noah  Parsons,  and  "  died  triumphantly  at  the  age  cj 

about  seventy  J* 

I  am  thankful  that  I  have  seen  one  of  her  grandchildren, 
and  heard  her  speak  with  great  affection  of  her  godly  grand- 
mother, Phoebe  Bartlett.* 


''  I  received  the  following  letter  from  a  child  in  Kansas, 
v,-hich  relates  to  the  subject  of  this  chapter.  She  is  now 
EIGHT  years  old ;  bu!:  when  she  became  a  Christian  she  was 

only  FIVE  YEARS  OF  AGE. 

"Lawrence,  Kansas. 
**My  dear  Friend, — I  can  remember  when  you  used  to  teach 
the  children  about  Christ  Jesus,  day  by  day.  1  used  to  go  to  your 
meetings,  and  there  I  was  converted,  and  I  am  trying  to  live  up  to 
my  profession.  I  pray  mornings  and  nights,  and  live  as  near  as  I 
can  to  Christ.  I  hope  you'll  pray  for  me,  so  that  I  may  be  more 
like  Hun.     I  am  eight  years  old. 

"  From  your  friend,         **  G.  M.  R.** 

I  at  once  answered  this  letter,  and  also  sent  a  few  copies 
of  a  little  Child's  Paper  which  I  used  to  edit,  and  I  received 
the  following : 

"Lawrence,  Kansas. 

"  My  dear  Friend, — I  was  very  glad  to  get  your  nice  letter.  You 
asked  me  how  I  came  to  wi-ite  to  you.  I  was  sick,  and  my  sister  had 
just  come  from  Sabbath-school  and  brought  me  a  Sabbalh-school  paper. 
Ma  looked  over  the  paper,  and  pretty  soon  came  to  a- piece,  'The 
Young  Reaver,*  that  was  written  by  you,  and  she  read  it  to  me,  and 
she  read  a  letter  that  was  written  from  a  little  girl  to  you.  Ma  s^dd  I 
might  write  you  if  I  wanted.  I  found  Jesus  at  your  meetings  here. 
I  thought  your  papers  were  veiy  nice.  I  read  them  over  and  over.  I 
liked  the  'Woodbine  Cottage'  very,  very  much.  I  think  I  am  a 
Christian  because  I  love  TO  work  FOR  Jesus,  and  I  ought  to  love 
Him,  for  my  Saviour  died  on  the  cross.  I  attend  the  Baptist  church 
with  my  father  and  mother,  who  are  members  of  the  church.  I  know 
eleven  children  among  the  many  who  joined  the  church  and  were  con- 
veited  when  you  was  here.     I  remain  your  aftectionate  friend,  for  ever, 

«  G.  M.  R." 
•  See  page  2, 


56  A  CHILD  'S  TESTIMONY, 


TWO   WORKERS. 


It  always  gives  me  pleasure  to  meet  earnest  Christians, 
and  especially  to  fihd  tliose  at  work  in  the  inquiry  meeting, 
who  say,  "  So  many  years  ago,  when  a  child,  I  was  con- 
verted in  the  Children's  Meeting  held  in  such  a  place." 
While  in  Alton,  Illinois,  \\\  1874,  I  met  at  our  meetings  the 
daughters  of  Rev.  Dr.  Wocid,  Professor  in  Shurtliff  College. 
Vhey  told  me  that  they  were  converted  in  the  Children's 
Mcerir^gs  held  in  Lewiston,  Maine,  twelve  years  before.  I 
rerotr'ea  Low  earnestly,  at  the  very  first  meeting  in  Alton, 
they  errgsc^id  in  pointing  the  siixious  Uttle  ones  to  Christ. 
They  had  not  forgotten  the  time  wiien  they  themselves  were 
seeking  t'n*^  baviour  in  a  somewhat  similar  meeting.  I  have 
just  found  kxi  -^/.ittle  Ones  from  f!ke  Fold,"*  two  letters 
which  those  wr>i^u  wrote  me  fifteen  years  ago.  I  insert 
them  because  they  bear  upon  the  subject  of  this  chapter. 

**  LiLWlSTON,  May  19,  1S62. 
"  I  have  always  wawttd  ?o  be  a  Christian,  This  spring  a  dear  little 
cousin  died,  and  his  death  wi»;dc  me  think  mt-re,  and  made  me  feel  more 
that  I  wanted  to  be  good,  a^ci  love  the  Ss  viour ;  and  I  told  mamma 
how  I  felt,  and  asked  her  to  pray  for  me.  The  first  afternoon  you  were 
here,  I  went  to  hear  you  talk  to  children.  I  loved  to  hear  you  talk 
about  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  sing  :  and  I  <\'anted  to  love  Him  too. 
When  I  cams  home,  papa  asked  Ua  wiow  we  liked  the  meeting.  I  could 
not  answer  him,  but  burst  into  tea/c.  i  fxilt  I  was  so  wicked.  I  read 
my  Bible,  and  asked  God  to  give  rae  a  nev/  heart.  Monday  morning  I 
went  to  meeting,  and  you  asked  me  if  i  loved  Jesus  ;  and  I  did  not  dare 
to  say  *yes,'  but  told  you  I  did  not.  The  next  Wednesday  you  took 
dinner  here,  and  when  you  asked  me  again,  I  thought  it  would  not  be 
wrong  for  me  to  tell  you  I  did  love  Hirti ;  and  you  told  me  to  cling  to 
Hun  ;  and  I  do  try  do.  I  love  to  pray,  mid  read,  and  sing,  and  tell  of 
Jebus.     Good-bye,  dear  Mr.  Hammond. 

**  Your  Little  Friend." 

*  A  little  narrative  of  the  Conversion  of  Children,   published  ia 
IS66. 


THE  TWO  SISTERS.  gf 

Her  sister  at  the  same  time  wrote  as  follows : 

•'  I  had  been  feeling  that  I  ought  to  be  a  Christian,  and  I  wanted 
to  be  one.  The  first  Sabbath  you  were  here,  I  went  to  hear  you  speak 
to  the  children.  When  you  requested  those  who  were  weeping  for  their 
sins  to  remain,  I  did  so ;  but  I  did  not  wish  to  weep.  I  did  not  feel  as 
though  I  wanted  to  kneel,  when  you  asked  them  ;  and  I  did  not.  But 
I  went  home  wishing  I  could  be  a  Christian.  I  went  to  meeting 
Monday  evening,  and  stopped  to  the  inquiry  meeting.  I  kept  wishing, 
and  yet  almost  afraid,  that  you  would  speak  to  me.  Tuesday,  I  prayed 
a  great  deal,  that  I  might  become  a  Christian.  A  little  while  before  I 
went  to  meeting,  I  went  away  and  prayed  that  God  would  help  me  to 
give  Him  my  heart  that  night.  I  stopped  to  the  inquiry  meeting  that 
night.  A  young  lady  came  and  spoke  a  few  words,  and  prayed  v»-ith 
me ;  and  after  she  went  away,  I  felt  as  if  I  had  given  my  heart  to 
Jesus.  I  was  vejy  happy.  I  felt  as  if  I  would  like  to  have  everybody 
love  Jesus.  Some  of  the  reasons  I  think  I  am  a  Christian,  are,  that  1 
love  to  pray  better  now  ;  I  love  the  Bible ;  I  love  to  go  to  meeting ;  and 
I  want  everybody  to  love  Jesus." 

Their  father  was,  at  the  time  those  two  letters  were 
written,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Lewiston.  In 
Upper  Altrn,  I  found  him  a  Professor  in  Shurtliff  College.. 
He  stated  that  his  two  daughters,  from  the  time  of  their 
conversion,  when  little  girls  m  Lewiston,  had,  during  the 
subsequent  fifteen  years,  livei  consistent  Christian  lives. 
They  now  laboured  to  point  anxious  lir.le  ones  to  Christ 


"A  MAJORITY   OF   THEM   CONTINUE   STEADFAST." 

In  London  I  received  the  following  letter  from  a 
clergyman  : 

"  I  have  faith  m  the  conversion  of  children,  and  for 
some  time  have  held  meetings  something  similar  to  yours,  I 
suppose,  in  connection  with  my  day-school.  Last  winter 
and  spring,  a  ?iurnber  of  childre?i  were  brought  to  Jesus,  and 
a  7najority  cf  ihe?n  remained  steadfast.  We  meet  every 
Thursday  evening,   read  the   Scriptures,   and   talk  about 


^  MATTHEW  W.  BALDW/M 

Jesus,  besides  spending  some  time  in  prayer.  Our  num- 
bers vary  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  present  at  once.  I 
conduct  tlie  meeting  myself;  the  children  join  in  prayer  at 
the  conclusion." 

"With  very  few  exceptions,  the  children  are  under 
thirteen  years  of  age. 

"I  hold  private  conversations  with  them  during  the 
week ;  they  tell  me  their  little  troubles  and  griefs,  and  seek 
counsel.  One  little  girl  of  twelve  years,  the  only  praying 
person  in  a  family  of  seven,  has  often  advised  with  me 
respecting  her  parents  and  brothers.  She  came  to  me  two 
days  ago  with  the  glad  news  that  her  mother  had  begun  to 
seek  the  Lord,  but  that  she  was  very  anxious  about  her 
father,  who  was  not  a  good  man,  but  laughed  at  their 
*  religious  notions,'  and  never  went  to  the  house  of  God.  I 
advised  her  to  continue  to  pray  for  him  and  exercise  faith  in 
God ;  to  be  very  kind  to  him,  and  careful  not  to  do  any 
thing  unworthy  of  a  little  Christian,  and  occasionally  in  a 
kind  manner  to  bring  the  subject  of  religion  under  his 
notice.  She  said  she  believed  that,  if  she  prayed  in  faith 
and  patiently  waited,  God  would,  in  His  own  time,  hear  her 
prayers  and  answer  them." 

In  1865,  in  Philadelphia,  T  had  the  pleasure  for  several 
weeks  of  being  the  guest  of  Matthew  W.  Baldwin,  the 
well-known  builder  of  clun-ches,  as  well  as  of  locomotives. 
He  loved  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  assist  in  leading  little 
children  to  Jesus.  He  told  me  that  w/ien  he  was  a  little 
hoy^  he  went  to  attend  the  meetings  of  Dr.  Edward  D. 
Griffin  in  Newark,  New  Jersey.  He  had  often  seen  many 
at  the  same  time  deeply  affected,  as  Dr.  Grifiin  described  to 
them  the  great  love  of  Jesus  in  giving  Himself  to  die  for 
them. 

We  find  in  the  "  Harvest  Work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  "  tha 


EXAMPLES  OP  EARLY  CONVERSION,  59 

follovang  quotation  from  Dr.  Griffin,  descriptive  of  those 
meetings  which  made  such  a  deep  impression  on  the  youth- 
ful mind  of  Mr.  Baldwin  : 

"  The  appearance  was  as  if  a  collection  of  waters,  long 
suspended  over  the  town,  had  fallen  at  once,  and  deluged  the 
whole  place.  For  several  weeks  the  people  would  stay  at 
the  close  of  every  evening  service  to  hear  some  new  exhorta- 
tion ;  and  it  seemed  impossible  to  persuade  them  to  depart, 
until  those  on  whose  lips  they  hung  had  retired.  At  those 
seasons  you  might  see  a  multitude  weeping  and  trembling 
around  their  minister,  and  many  others  standing  as  astonished 
spectators  of  the  scene,  and  beginning  to  tremble  themselves. 
One  Sabbath,  after  the  second  service,  when  I  had  catechised 
and  dismissed  the  Uttle  children,  they  gathered  around  me 
weeping,  and  inquiring  what  they  should  do.  I  know  not 
but  that  a  hundred  were  in  tears  at  once.  The  scene 
was  as  affecting  as  it  was  unexpected.  Having  prayed  vrilh 
them  again,  and  spent  some  time  in  exhortation,  I  attempted 
to  send  them  away,  but  w^ith  all  entreaties  I  could  not 
prevail  upon  them  to  depart  until  night  came  on,  and  then 
I  was  obliged  to  go  out  with  them,  and  literally  force  them 
from  me." 

If  I  remember  rightly,  Mr.  Baldwin  told  me  that  he 
experienced  a  change  of  heart  at  that  early  age,  under  the 
preaching  of  that  good  man. 

/  I  have  often  thought  that  one  reason  why  Samuel  led 
such  an  irreproachable  life  w^is  because,  when  a  little  boy  in 
the  temple  of  Shiloh,  his  ansv»^er  when  called  of  God  vras, 
*'  Speak,  Lord,  for  Thy  servant  heareth  !  " 

^  It  is  commonly  held  that  Jeremiah  and  John  the 
Baptist,  who  were  "faithful  unto  death,"  were  early  the 
children  of  God's  grace.  King  Josiah  began  to  reign  when 
he  was  only  eight  years  of  age,  and  ''in  the  eighth  year  of 


Co  MATTHEW  HENRY. 

iiis  reign,  while  he  was  yet  young,  he  began  to  seek  af^er 
the  God  of  David,  his  father  "  (2  Chron.  xxxiv.  3).  Among 
the  early  ('.hristians,  it  is  evident  from  ihe  writings  of  the 
fathers,  that  there  were  many  converted  in  childhood 

The  early  Christians  included  pious  children.  Thus 
'  Polycarp.  martyred  at  the  age  of  ninety-five,  declares  he  had 
served  God  eighty-six  years  ;  showing  that  he  was  converted 
at  the  age  of  ni?ie  years.  And  Justin  Martyr  testifl  es  of  many 
of  both  sexes  "  who  had  been  made  disciples  of  Christ  in 
their  childliood  and  continued  uncorrupted  all  their  lives." 

While  in  Chester,  England,  I  visited  the  church  where 
Matthew  Ileniy  preached  for  many  years,  and  the  little 
study,  where  he  wrote  his  Commentary.  It  v»'as  a  pleasure  to 
remember  that  he  was  converted  befoj-e  he  was  eleven  years 
old.  It  is  no  wonder  that  he  wiites  so  clearly  upon  those 
passages  in  the  New  Testament  v/hich  refer  to  child  piety. 
Surely  I^Iatthew  Henry's  conversion  was  not  evanescent 

Neither  was  t.hat  of  Jonathan  Edwards,  who  was  con- 
verted, as  he  thinks,  before  he  was  seven  years  of  age. 
Nor  was  that  of  Isaac  Watts,  who  was  led  to  Jesus  before 
he  was  nine  years  old,  and  wrote  hymns  of  praise  at  that 
early  age.  When  in  Southampton,  England,  we  visited  his 
monument,  of  the  purest  white  Sicilian  marble,  nineteen  feet 
b'gh,  with  a  base  eight  feet  square,  resting  on  a  pedestal  of 
Aberdeen  gi-anite.  On  the  front  side  Dr.  Watts  is  represented 
as  instructing  a  group  of  beautiful  children.  Underneath 
are  the  words, 

**  He  gave  to  lisping  infancy  its  earliest  and  purest  lessons." 

The  Rev.  L.  W.  Bacon  says  :  "  One  of  the  most  eminent 
and  beloved  of  the  pastors  of  New  York  City  once  told  me 
the  beautiful  story  of  his  Christian  experience ;  how  with 
tlie  earliest  dawn  of  reflection  he  became  conscious  of  a 


HYMN  BY  A  CHILD.  6x 

deep  and  tender  love  for  the  Saviour,  and  how,  although  he 
had  felt  many  doubts  and  difficulties,  he  had  finally  settled 
clearly  in  the  conviction  that  if  ever  he  had  known  the 
grace  of  God,  he  had  known  it  from  the  time  of  those 
earliest  recollections.  A  few  days  after  this  I  met  the 
venerable  father  of  my  friend  on  Broadvray,  and  told  him 
that  his  son  had  been  telling  me  the  story  of  his  religious 
life.  *  Oh  no,  he  has  not,'  said  the  good  old  man  ;  *  he 
CANNOT  REMEMBER  THAT  STORY.  Only  his  mother  and 
myself  can  tell  it.'  Who  will  undertake  to  say  at  what 
point  a  Christian  life  may  not  be  begun  by  the  inworking 
of  the  Holy  Spirit?" 

HYMN   WRITTEN    BY   A   CHILD. 

T!ie  v;ell-knov\-n  hymn  found  in  nearly  all  hymn-books 
commencing, 

'*  Jesus  I  and  shall  it  ever  be 
A  sinful  child  ashamed  of  Thee? 
Ashamed  of  Thee,  whom  angels  praise, 
Whose  glories  shine  through  endless  days  ?  ** 

was  written  by  Joseph  Gregg  when  but  a  child.     It  had  for 
its  heading,  when  first  published,  "  Shame  of  Jesus  con- 
quered by  love,  by  a  youth  of  ten  years." 
At  a  later  period  he  wrote, 

**  BehoM,  a  Stranger  at  the  door, 

He  gently  knocks,  has  knocked  before  J 
Has  waited  long,  is  waiting  still : 
You  use  no  other  friend  so  ill. "' 

He  became  a  minister,  and  preached  in  Silver  Street, 
London,  where  he  was  very  usefuL 

Thus  multitudes  of  cases  might  be  cited  of  children  con- 
verted in  early   childhood,    who   have   lived    to    attest    the 


6a  THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD. 

genuineness  of  the  great  work  wrought  upon  them  by  God's 
Spirit  through  saving  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

May  the  Lord  help  every  reader  of  this  chapter  to 
reahze  the  precious  truth  contained  in  the  words  of  Jesus  at 
the  beginning — "  It  is  not  the  will  of  your  Father 

WHICH   IS  IN   HEAVEN    THAT    ONE    OF    THESE  LITTLE  0NE3 
SHOULD  PERISH." 

*' Saviour,  who  Thy  floclc  art  feeding 

With  the  Shepherd's  kindest  care^ 
All  the  feeble  gently  leading, 

Wliile  the  Lambs  Thy  bosom  share. 
Now,  these  little  ones  receiving. 

Fold  them  in  Thy  gracious  arm  ; 
There,  we  know,  Thy  word  believing, 

Only  there,  secure  from  harm  : 

*'  Never,  from  Thy  pasture  roving, 

Let  them  be  the  Lion's  prey  ; 
Let  Thy  tenderness,  so  loving, 

Keep  them  all  life's  dangerous  way, 
Tlien,  within  Thy  fold  eternal, 

Let  them  find  a  resting  place^ 
Fecc'  m  pastures  ever  vernal, 

Dimk  the  rivers  of  Thy  grace.'* 

Wm,  A.  Muklenbcrg^  i8g6L 


CHAPTER  IV, 
ffOW  CAN  CHILDREN  BE  LED  TO  JESUS  f 

•'SHOWING  TO  THE  GENERATION   TO   COME  THE  PRAISES  OF  THE  LORD, 
AND  HIS  STRENGTH,  AND  HIS  WONDERFUL  V/ORKS." 

Fsal/ii  Ixxviii.  4. 

Pl^^l^ANY  ask  tlie  question,   "What  is  the  secret  of 
IKP  ^i     leading  children  to  Jesus?  " 
iM'^^&ij  Firstly,  if  a  person  would  be  successful  in  this 

work,  he  must  first  possess  and  cultivate  a  deep  love  for 
children.  I  remember  v/hen  I  was  secretary  of  the  *'  Mills' 
Missionary  Society "  in  Williams  College;  it  fell  to  my  lot 
to  correspond  with  missionaries  in  foreign  lands.  We  thus 
received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Calhoun,  of  Mount  Lebanon.  In 
answering  the  question  we  had  propounded  to  him,  as  to 
how  we  could  become  successful  missionaries,  he  enlarged 
upon  the  thought  ihat  we  must  cultivate  a  love  for  man 
as  such,  no  matter  what  his  colour  or  race.  We  must  feel 
that  every  man  is  a  child  of  Adam,  and  that  God  has  loved 
him  and  given  His  Son  to  die  for  him ;  that  every  being  on 
the  face  of  the  earth  possesses  a  soul,  worth  more  than  al^ 
the  world.  Just  so  those  who  would  labour  successfully 
among  children  must  learn  to  lore  them,  and  must  become 
familiar  with  Ihcir  habits  of  thought,  and  even  with  their 
modes  of  am.using  themselves. 

Secondly,  A  man,  to  be  successful,  must  have  faith  in 


64  CLVC/ST'S  SLVr^A'/A'GS. 

iLiE  powEK  OF  God's  Spirit  and  in  the  pov/er  of  His 
TRUTH.  He  must  believe  the  words  of  Jesus,  who  says : 
"  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  fi-om  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto 
Me."  Then  he  must  bring  out  vividly  before  the  minds  of 
the  children,  the  great  fact  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 

LOVED  EACH  ONE  OF  THEM,  AND  DIED  A  CRUEL  DEATH  ON 
THE   CROSS    IN   THEJR    STEAD. 

You  say:  "Every  Sunday-school  scholar  in  the  land  knows 
this."  I  admit  it,  but  it  is  one  thing  to  l-ncnc  it,  and  another 
and  very  different  thing  to  feel  zi  deep  down  in  the  heart. 
I  say  then  that  he  must  dwell  on  the  sufferiiigs  of  Christ 
until  the  children  see  Him  vividly  "crucified  before  them." 
They  must  see  the  crown  of  thorns  upon  His  brow.  They 
must  see  the  heavy  lashes  laid  upon  His  bare,  bleeding 
back.  They  must  hear  the  shouts  of  the  mob  as  they  cry  : 
'•'Away  with  Him!  away  with  Him  ! — crucify  Him  I"  They 
must  see  the  cross  laid  upon  His  bleeding,  quivering  form, 
and  then  follow  Him,  sinking  beneath  its  weight,  as  He 
bears  it  along  the  Via  Dolorosa.  They  must  hear  the  heavy 
mallet  as,  with  blow  after  blow,  the  nails  pierce  His  feet. 
Having  seen  Him  walking  the  seven  sorrowful  ways — from 
the  Last  Supper  to  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  ;  from  the 
Garden  of  Gethsemane  to  the  house  of  Annas ;  from  the 
bouse  of  Annas  to  the  house  of  Caiaphas;  from  the  house  of 
Caiaphas  to  Pilate j  from  Pilate  to  Herod;  and  from  Llerod 
back  to  Pilate's  Hall ;  and  thence  to  Calvary, — they  should 
then  be  called  upon  to  listen  at  least  to  some  of  the  seven 
sorrowful  cries  which  He  uttered  as  He  hung  upon  the 
cross  ;  and  vrhen  the  cry  reaches  their  ears,  "  My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me?"  they  should  then  be 
taught  that  He  was  forsaken  that  they  might  not  de 
FORSAKEN  ;  tliat  all  these  dreadful  sufferuigs.  especially  His 
soul  sufferings,  which  were  infinitely  beyond  His  physical 
sufferings,  were  endured  in  their  stead.     Then,  further^  they 


ONE  BY  ONE,  65 

sliould  be  lo!d  of  His  death  and  burial,  of  His  ascenEion, 
and  briefly  be  taught  that  God,  in  raising  Christ  from  ths 
dead,  showed  His  acceptance  of  His  "finished  work." 
*  Then  in  a  few  words  they  should  be  told  tliat  He  is  coming 
again  to  judge  the  world,  and  that  there  will  be  a  great 
separation  upon  that  day:  that  all  those  who  loved  and 
trusted  Him  here  will  be  on  the  right  hand,  while  those  vrho 
rejected  Him  will  be  found  upon  the  left  hand. 

These  great  facts  should  be  illustrated  by  simple  stories, 
and  made  vivid  by  illustrations  that  the  children  can  under- 
stand;  especially  should  great  stress  be  laid  upon  the 
DOCTRINE  of  SUBSTITUTION.  Children  as  young  as  five 
and  six  years  of  age  can  understand  this  doctrine,  if  it  is 
illustrated  in  a  simple  manner. 

Of  course,  every  Christian  knows  that  all  this  preaching 
will  be  in  vain  without  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  No 
Christian  will  engage  in  this  sacred  vv^ork  without  much 
prayer :  he  certainly  will  not  engage  in  it  successfully  unless 
he  feels  his  entire  dependence  upon  God,  unless  he  often 
listens  to  His  words :  "  Not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but 
by  My  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  "  (Zech.  iv.  6). 

But  he  who  would  win  children  to  Christ  must  not  stop 
here.  After  the  Address  he  must  go  among  them,  speaking 
to  them  ONE  by  one.  He  will  then  find  that  many  who  have 
appeared  indifferent  up  to  that  moment  will  burst  into  tears 
when  spoken  to,  saying,  "  Oh,  I  have  been  a  great  sinner 
not  to  love  that  precious  Saviour  !" 

Dr.  Mark  Hopkins,  of  Williams'  College,  once  said  to 
his  students,  ''Young  gentlemen, you  will  accomphsh  little  in 
the  world  tmless you  work  in  a  line  with  God'* 

That  one  remark  m^ade  a  deep  impression  on  my  mind. 
It  is  only  as  workers  together  with  Him  (2  Cor.  vi.  i) 
that  we  find  a  divine  power  accompanying  our  words  and 
efforts. 


65  ROBERT  McCHEVKE. 

It  has  therefore  been  a  careful  study  with  me  to  see 
what  agencies  God  most  blesses  in  leading  the  young  and 
old  to  Christ ;  and  I  have  frequently  found  that  very  many 
wlio  were  not  at  all  affected  by  the  address,  have,  by  per- 
sonal dealing  in  the  inquiry  meeting,  been  brought  under 
conviction.  Many  have  testified  that  it  was  the  simple 
question,  "Do  you  love  Jesus?"  put  directly  to  them, 
that  first  startled  them  to  the  realization  of  the  fact  that 
they  had  not  truly  loved  Ilim,  and  v/ere  therefore  guilt}'  of 
the  greatest  sin. 

When  in  Scotland,  one  of  the  first  places  I  visited  was 
Dundee,  that  I  might  see  the  grave  of  Robert  McCheyne, 
and  the  church  in  which  he  pointed  so  many  children  and 
adults  to  Jesus. 

I  had  not  only  read,  but  shidied  his  life,  vmtten  by  his 
personal  friend,  Andrew  Bonar;  not  simply  that  I  might 
find  who  he  was,  and  what  he  had  done  in  the  world,  but 
that  I  might,  if  possible,  catch  something  of  his  yearning 
desire  for  the  salvation  of  souls. 

It  was  therefore  a  great  pleasure  for  m.e  to  stand  upon 
the  floor  of  his  vestr)%  which  one  of  his  elders  told  me  he 
had  seen  covered  with  children  seeking  the  Saviour. 

Not  long  after,  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  his  bio- 
grapher. Dr.  Andrew  Bonar,  and  for  twelve  weeks  at  one 
time,  and  six  weeks  at  another,  laboured  with  him  in  a 
revival  in  Glasgow. 

When  meetings,  more  especially  for  children  and  youth, 
were  held  in  his  own  church,  numbers  at  times  were  deeply 
affected,  even  to  tears ;  yet  some  of  his  office-bearers  did 
not  at  first  feel  satisfied  that  it  was  a  work  of  God. 

But  Dr.  Bonar  for  several  nights  said  to  them,  and  to 
all  Christians  :  "  If  any  of  you  have  doubts  about  this 
being  the  work  of  God's  Spirit,  they  will  fiee  av/ay  as  soon 


STjRA  YING  lambs.  6j 

as  you  go  down  among  these  anxious  ones  and  talk  and 
pray  with  them." 

At  the  end  of  a  week  he  said,  "  I  had  a  meeting  with 
my  session  last  evening"  (I  think  eighteen  in  number), 
"  and  am  glad  to  be  able  to  state  that  I  find  them  all  in 
sympathy  with  this  blessed  work  of  God  Most  of  them 
have  children  among  the  number  of  those  who  are  rejoicing 
m  Jesus." 

How  many  Iambs  are  strapngf, 

Lost  from  the  Saviour's  fold  1 
Upon  the  lonely  mountains 

They  shiver  with  the  cold, 
"Wilhia  the  tangled  thickets, 

Where  poison  vines  do  creep, 
And  over  rocky  ledges, 

Wander  the  poor  lost  sheep. 

Oh,  who  will  go  to  find  them. 

Who,  for  the  Saviour's  sake. 
Will  search,  with  tireless  patience, 

Through  briar  and  through  brake? 
Unheeding  thirst  and  hunger. 

Who  still,  from  day  to  day, 
Will  seek,  as  for  a  treasure, 

The  Iambs  that  go  astray. 

How  sweet  'twould  be  at  evening, 

If  you  and  I  could  say, 
Good  Shepherd,  we've  been  seeking 

The  lambs  that  went  astray  ; 
Ileart-sore,  and  faint  with  hunger, 

We  heard  them  making  moan, 
And  lo  !  we  come  at  nightfall, 

Beaiing  them  safely  home. 


CHAPTER  V. 


ON  PREACHING   TO    THE   CHILDRE]^. 


**  PREACH  THE  GOSPEL  TO  EVERY  CREATURE." 

Ma7-k  xvi.  15, 

;HE  command,  "  Preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature,"  seems  to  me  to  refer  to  children  as 

i*ii^     well  as  to  adults. 

But  many  say,  "  It  is  not  my  gift  to  preach  to  children." 
If  it  is  not  a  natural  gift,  may  it  not,  to  a  certain  extent,  be 
acquired?  Certainly,  every  minister,  and  every  theological 
student,  may  seek  to  enlist  the  friendship  and  interest  of 
the  young. 

Nathaniel  Hawthorne  said,  "  If  I  value  myself  on  any- 
thing, it  is  on  having  a  smile  that  children  love." 

I  often  heard  the  name  of  Dr.  Alexander  Fletcher  men- 
tioned in  England.  He  loved  to  preach  to  children.  Thos'^ 
who  knew  him  say,  that  the  secret  of  his  power  lay  in  the 
boyishness  of  his  nature.  He  seemed  to  carry  into  manhood 
all  the  taste  and  feelings  of  his  early  years.  He  loved 
especially  to  join  with  the  little  ones  in  their  sports  ! 

If  Paul  to  the  Jews  became  a  Jew,  is  it  not  becoming 
\xi  those  who  would  interest  the  young  to  become  again 
children  to  those  that  are  children  ? 

And  I  have  often  observed  that  the  speaker  who  can 


DR,  TYNG,  69 

thoroughly  interest  a  crov/d  of  children  is  sure  of  securing 
the  attention  of  the  adults. 

Vinet  says,  "  A  child's  book  may  be  a  great  or  beautiful 
work,  and  deserve  a  place  of  honour  in  our  libraries.  Good 
books  for  children  are  the  best  among  the  books  for  men." 
So  good  sermons  for  children  are  often  the  best  for  adults. 

Dr.  Wm.  C.  Wisner,  of  Lockport,  N.  Y.,  stated  to  my 
wife  that  a  lady,  aged  over  seventy,  who  had  sat  under  his 
ministry  for  many  years,  was  converted  at  one  of  the  first 
Children's  Meetings  I  held  in  his  church.  Dr.  Wisner,  as  is 
y/ell  known,  is  one  of  the  strongest  men  and  best  preachers 
in  Western  Nev*'  Vork ;  and  yet  some  simple  illustration 
for  the  children,  which  many  would  think  of  little  account, 
was  the  instrument,  under  the  Spirit  of  God,  of  leading  her 
to  Christ. 

SI:npUcity  should  be  sought  by  those  who  gain  the 
atter'ton  of  children  and  win  them  to  Christ. 

Dl  Tyng  has  been  in  the  habit  of  preaching  to  the 
children  of  his  congregation  for  full  twenty  years.  He  says, 
**  It  has  been  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  effective  of  my 
labours  in  the  ministry.  The  Lord  has  been  pleased  very 
graciously  and  mercifully  to  own  the  v/ork  as  His  in  many 
cases  of  conversion.  I  have  considered  no  part  of  my  work 
more  valuable  and  important  than  this;  and  certainly  no 
portion  of  it  so  popular  and  acceptable  to  others." 

As  has  been  intimated,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  in 
addressing  children  effectually,  first  to  secure  their  undivided 
attention. 

To  this  end  it  is  often  essential  to  seize  upon  some  inci- 
dent which  in  itself  does  not  amount  to  much,  and  yet  which 
catches  the  eyes  and  ears  of  the  children.  At  the  same 
time,  we  should  not  be  discouraged  if  a  few  restless  ones  do 
not  seem  to  hear  all  that  is  said. 

A  little   boy  on  returning  from  church  was  severely 


TO  COUNTING  THE  RAFTERS. 

censured  by  his  father  for  not  having  paid  attention  to  the 
sermon. 

"  Father,  I  heard  all  the  minister  said." 

**  I  do  not  believe  it ;  you  were  gazing  all  over  the 
church  during  the  entire  service/' 

"  But,  father,  I  heard  all  the  minister  said.** 

"  I  cannot  believe  it,  for  it  seemed  to  me  you  hardly 
looked  at  the  preacher ;  your  eyes  were  oftener  fixed  upon 
the  rafters  than  the  pulpit." 

"  But,  father,  I  did  hear  all  he  said,  and  I  can  tell  it  to 
you." 

**  Let  me  hear  you  try  it** 

He  then  began,  and  astonished  his  father  by  giving  the 
text,  the  heads  of  the  sermon,  and  7?iuch  that  was  in  it 

"  I  declare,"  said  the  father,  "  you  did  hear  the  sermon 
after  all" 

"I  told  you  I  did,  father;  and  now  I  can  tell  you 

EXACTLY  HOW  MANY  RAFTERS  THERE  ARE  IN  THE  ROOF,  FOR 
I  COUNTED  EVERY  ONE  OF  THEM  DURING  THE  SERMON  !" 

In  1861,  v/hile  holding  a  series  of  meetings  in  Boston,  I 
became  intimately  acquainted  v/ith  Rev.  Dr.  E.  N.  Kirk, 
Pastor  of  Mount  Vernon  Church.  He  said  to  me  one  day 
that  if  he  were  to  live  his  life  over  again  he  would  devote 
much  more  time  to  children.  He  realized  the  importance 
of  securing  their  attention,  and  often,  though  not  especially 
addressing  them,  he  held  their  minds  throughout  the  entire 
discourse.     In  one  of  his  Addresses  he  says  : 

"I  have  been  accustomed  to  preach  and  to  talk  a 
great  deal  to  the  children  in  my  church,  and  I  have  some 
very  dear  children  wliom  I  love  very  much.  There  is  one 
little  girl  I  will  tell  you  about,  to  show  you  v/hat  kind 
of  hearers  we  want  among  children.  I  had  noticed  her, 
as  she  sat  in  her  father's  seat  in  the  church,  fix  her  eyes 
on  me  as  soon  as  I  rose  up  in  the  pulpit  to  begin  the 


CHILDREN 'S  MEMORIES,  7I 

exercises;  but  I  did  not  know  so  much  about  her,  till 
one  day,  when  I  was  sick  and  confined  to  my  chamber, 
her  father  called  to  see  me,  and  began  to  talk  about 
his  dear  little  Mary,  v/ho  was  about  nine  or  ten  years  of 
age.  Said  he,  *  Have  you  ever  noticed  how  my  little  girl 
sits  in  church  ?  *  I  said  I  had  not  particularly  noticed  any 
thing  but  this,  that  I  used  to  have  to  turn  to  that  side  of 
the  church,  because  if  anyone  is  preaching,  he  loves  to  see 
every  person's  eye  on  him,  and,  Vv'hencver  I  looked,  this 
little  girl's  bright  eyes  v/ere  always  fixed  on  me.  But  her 
father  told  me  more  about  her.  He  said,  that  from  the 
time  I  rose  in  the  pulpit,  she  never  turned  her  head  away. 

"  But  here  was  what  struck  me  with  great  force  about  this 
little  girl,  one  so  young ;  it  was  the  custom  of  her  father, 
every  Sabbath  afternoon,  after  the  second  service,  to  go 
home  and  get  all  his  children  around  him,  and  begin  to  talk 
over  the  sermon  of  the  morning,  and  then  the  sermon  of 
the  afternoon ;  they  found  the  text,  and  each  one  read  it, 
and  then  the  father  would  begin  to  tell  what  he  recollected 
of  the  sermon,  and  then  the  mother  repeated  what  she 
recollected,  and  -^hat  he  had  omitted  ;  and  sometimes  when 
they  forgot  one  of  tie  heads  of  the  sermon  they  would  turn 
to  little  Mary,  and  si  e  would  recollect  it.  I  was  quite  sur- 
prised; but  I  have  learnt  more  about  little  children  since 
then,  and  I  find  they  can  be  very  profitable  hearers  of 
sermons ;  and  ever  since  that  time  it  has  encouraged  me, 
even  when  I  am  preaching  to  grown  people,  to  talk  espe- 
cially to  children,  because  I  find  that  dear  little  children 
can  und?'  stand  me ;  and  that  is  all  a  minister  wants,  for 
the  people  to  understand  him,  and  think  about  what  he 
says." 

Dr.  Kirk  attended  one  of  the  Children's  Meetings  in 
Lawrence,  Mass.,  in  1863,  and  spoke  as  follows.  I  quote 
from  a  Presbyterian  newspaper : 


ya  CHILDREN  IN  THE  EARLY  CHURCH, 

.  "What  amazes  me  about  this  movement  is,  that  the 
children  understand  v/hat  they  are  about.  Though  no 
inquiry  meeting  was  appointed  v/hen  Mr.  Hammond  first 
addressed  the  children  of  my  congregation,  the  children 
zuould  have  one,  and  gathered  about  the  speaker  in  groups. 
The  thing  that  satisfied  me  was  that  the  little  ones  were 
convinced  that  they  were  sinners  in  not  believing  in  Jesus. 

"I  believe  that  I  myself  might  have  been  converted 
when  eight  years  old  if  I  had  been  taught  the  way.  And 
how  much  farther  and  faster  I  should  have  got  along  !  In 
my  thirty  years'  experience  in  the  examination  of  applicants 
for  church- membership,  I  have  found  it  one  of  the  most 
difficult  things  to  get  them  to  speak  the  name  oi Jesus,  and 
acknowledge  their  dependence  on  Him.  But  the  children 
who  are  instructed  in  these  meetings  seem  to  know  all  about 
Jesus i" 

And  here  it  occurs  to  me  to  remark,  that  if  we  cannot 
prove  positively  that  m^eetings  were  held  especially  for  the 
conversion  of  children  in  the  early  centuries,  we  at  least 
have  evidence  of  the  sentiment  of  the  Church  in  relation  to 
children.  A  Greek  hymn  of  Clement  of  Alexandria,  which 
was  sung  in  the  second  century,  is  thus  translated! 

"  Shepherd  of  tender  youthj 
Guiding  in  love  and  truth 
Through  devious  ways. 
Christ,  our  triumphant  king, 
V/e  come  Thy  name  to  sing. 
And  Jure  our  children  bring 
To  shout  Thy  praise." 

This  would  certainly  indicate  that  there  \\ere  children 
in  those  early  days  who  were  savingly  acquainted  with  God, 
and  who  therefore  loved  to  unite  with  His  people  in  praising 
liins. 


THE  CHILD'S  GUIDE  TO  HEAVEN. 


n 


Irenaeus,  who  lived  within  one  generation  of  the  Apostles, 
says  :  "  Christ  came  to  save  all  persons  through  Himself, 
all,  I  say,  who  through  Him  are  regenerated  unto  God; 
infants  and  little  ones,  and  children  and  youth,  and  the 
aged." 

I  trust  it  will  not  seem  out  of  place  now  to  introduce 
the  report  of  an  address  delivered  in  Newark,  New  Jersey, 
the  reading  of  which  brought  at  least  one  little  girl  to 
Christ,  and  which  peradventure  may  assist  some  young  man 
in  addressing  children  so  as  to  win  them  to  the  Lord  Jesus. 
For  such  a  result  I  should  be  thankfuL 

ADDRESS. 

"I  want  to  speak  to  you  this  afternoon  about  Jesus 
being  the  child's  Guide  to  heaven. 

"  In  the  grounds  of  Hampton  Court,  twelve  miles  from 
London,  is  a  labyrinth,  in  which  Henry  the  Eighth,  more 
than  three  hundred  years  ago,  used  to  wander  about  for  his 
amusement. 

"  One  beautiful  afternoon  in  the  autumn,  after  spending 
hours  among  the  picture-galleries  in  the  palace,  and  visiting 
the  room  where  Oliver  Cromwell  parted  for  the  last  time 
with  his  lovely  daughter,  I  wandered  away  into  the  park, 
among  the  delicate,  light-footed  deer,  and  came  to  this 
labyrmth. 

"  I  saw  people  entering  it,  and  heard  them  say  they 
could  find  their  way  out  easy  enough,  and  I,  too,  was  led  to 
attempt  it.  It  was  very  easy  to  go  in  a  long  distance ;  but 
when  I  turned  to  find  my  way  back,  it  was  a  different 
matter.  Whichever  path  among  the  high  hawthorn  hedges 
I  took,  I  soon  reached  its  end.  I  could  not  even  find  the 
people  whom  a  little  before  I  saw  entering  this  strange 
place.    I  seemed  to  walk  miles,  and  yet  to  be  no  nearer 


74  THE  MAZE  AT  HAMPTON  COURT. 

the  end.  It  was  getting  dark,  and  I  began  to  fear  T  might 
have  to  lie  down  upon  the  cold  ground  for  the  night.  All 
this  time  a  kind  man  had  been  standing  upon  a  high  tower 
near  by,  waiting  for  me  to  lift  my  eyes  to  him,  and  ask  hint 
to  guide  me  out.     I  quickly  said — 

"  Dear  sir,  will  you  please  show  me  the  way  out  of  thm 
dark  place?" 

"  *  Oh,  yes,*  he  replied,  and  with  a  long  stick  he  soon 
helped  me  to  thread  my  way  to  the  green  lawn  again. 

"  How  much  time  and  anxiety  I  might  have  been  saved, 
if  I  had  only  taken  this  man  for  my  guide  out  of  this 
winding  puzzle  !  He  seemed  so  glad  to  help  me,  he  made 
me  think  of  the  dear  Jesus,  who  always  stands  ready  to 
guide  lost  sinners  in  the  way  to  heaven.  His  words,  you 
know,  are,  *  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life.'  Let 
us  all  see  if  we  can  find  that  verse.  Yes ;  here  it  is ; 
John  xiv.  6  :  *  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the  way,  and  the 
truth,  and  the  life  \  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by 
li'le.'  But  have  you  ever  felt,  my  dear  children,  that  you 
were  lost  in  the  dark  ways  of  sin,  and  that  you  could  not 
find  the  way  to  heaven  without  the  help  of  Jesus,  who  died 
on  the  cross  that  He  might  lead  you  home  to  the  mansions 
above?  You  are  surely  lost  in  the  dreadful  labyrinth  of 
sin,  and  you  will  never  get  out  without  the  help  of  Jesus. 

"And  yet  some  of  you  have  never  really  asked  Him  to 
be  your  Saviour  and  Guide,  and  you  are  every  day  going 
farther  and  farther  away  from  Him. 

**  In  Rome  we  followed  a  guide  with  a  lighted  taper 
down  into  the  Catacombs,  which,  like  this  labyrinth  of 
"which  I  have  told  you,  wind  in  all  directions  under  ground. 
A  little  before,  a  young  man  had  left  the  guide,  and  was 
Eoon  out  of  hearing.  Search  was  made  for  him,  but  it  was 
all  in  vain.  Days  and  weeks  passed  away,  and  at  last 
nothixig  but  bis  bones  were  found.     How  closely  the  very 


LOST  IN  THE  CATACOMBS,  75 

thought  of  it  made  me  cling  to  our  guide.  This  young  man 
did  not  expect  to  be  lost,  but  he  never  saw  the  hglit  of  day 
after  he  left  that  guide.  And  I  am  afraid  that  some  of  you 
may  be  lost,  and  never  see  the  light  of  heaven.  You  cer- 
tainly never  will,  if  you  do  not  come  to  Jesus,  and  cling 
close  by  His  side.  As  that  guide  in  the  Catacombs  of 
Rome  held  a  light  for  us,  so  Jesus  will  give  you  the  light  of 
His  Word  all  your  journey  through,  if  you  will  but  trust  in 
Him  to  save  you  from  sin  and  be  your  Guide.  Will  you 
ask  Him  to-day  ?  He  loves  you,  and  wishes  to  take  you 
by  the  hand  and  lead  you  along  the  shining  path  to  happi- 
ness and  glory.  Will  you  let  Him?  *Just  now?'  And 
sing  with  joy,  *  Jesus,  take  me,  just  now;  Jesus,  guide  me, 
just  now.' 

"  A  few  days  after  my  visit  to  Hampton  Court,  as  I  was 
passing  along  the  streets  of  London,  I  fell  in  with  a  crowd 
of  anxious  people,  who  were  gathered  around  a  little  girl  on 
the  side-walk.  She  had  wandered  av>^ay  from  her  home. 
One  object  after  another  had  allured  her  along,  until,  as  she 
began  to  look  up  and  around  to  see  where  she  was,  she 
found  she  was  lost.  All  was  strange  to  her.  She  had  been 
running  in  different  directions,  but  could  not  find  the  way 
to  her  father's  house.  And  as  I  saw  her  she  v/as  beginning 
to  cr}^  Her  tears  were  all  in  vain,  for  none  of  us  knew  the 
v.ay  to  her  house.  At  length  a  kind  gentleman  came  along, 
who  at  once  knew  her,  and  pressing  his  way  into  the  crowd, 
he  took  her  by  the  hand,  saying, 

•*  *  I  know  the  little  girl ;  I  v/ill  take  her  home.* 

**  He  was  as  willing  to  be  her  guide,  as  was  that  man  by 
the  labyrinth  at  Hampton  to  guide  me  out  of  the  maze. 

"The  tears  of  the  child  were  soon  brushed  away;  for 
she  believed  that  this  good  man  would  take  her  straight  to 
her  father  and  mother. 

*♦  During  the  past  few  weeks  I  have  seen  hundreds  of 


7«  'Vil/  LOST/  I  CAN'T  FIND  ^ESUS /" 

children  a.^val:Gned  to  feel  that  they  were  losf  and  in  need  of 
Jesus,  who,  a  few  days  before,  were  as  careless  and  thought- 
less as  was  this  little  girl  in  London,  before  s/ie  found  she 
was  lost ;  and  I  have  seen  them  weeping  as  though  their 
hearts  would  break.  In  a  day  or  two  many  of  them  had  hold 
of  Jesus'  hand,  and  their  little  hearts  were  filled  with  joy. 

"  A  few  days  ago  I  found  a  little  boy  about  eight  years 
of  age,  in  one  of  these  seats  at  the  children's  inquiry 
meeting,  sobbing  aloud.     Said  I, 

•** What's  the  matter,  my  dear  little  fellow?' 

***0h,  dear!  I'm  lost !  I'm  lost!  and  I  can't  find  Jesus! 
Oh  !  my  wicked  heart !  How  can  I  get  a  new  heart  ?  I 
liave  been  so  wicked  !  I  have  never  loved  Jesus  at  all !  I 
thought  I  loved  Him,  but  now  I  know  I  never  did.  Will 
He  take  me  ?  * 

"  *  Oh,  yes  ! '  said  I ;  *  He  says,  "  Kim  that  cometh  unto 
Me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  '  I  tried  to  tell  him  how  the 
IvOrd  Jesus  died  for  sinners  just  like  him.  At  length  we 
kneeled  down  in  one  of  the  pews,  and,  in  a  low  tone,  we 
prayed  together,  and  the  little  boy  asked  God  to  take  away 
his  wicked  heart,  and  help  him  to  love  the  Saviour ;  and 
that  little  boy,  I  believe,  found  /esi/s  to  be  '  f/ie  cliild's  Giiidi 
to  heaven^  and  he  is  here  to-day,  v>ith  a  smiling  face  and  a 
singing  heart. 

"If,  indeed,  he  is  following  the  loving  Saviour  as  his 
Friend  and  Guide,  you  will  see  a  change  in  that  boy's  life. 

"  This  little  boy's  face  to-day,  like  many  others  here,  is 
lit  up  with  a  radiant  joy  that  is  far  brighter  than  that  which 
shone  from  the  face  of  the  little  girl  in  London,  when  on 
her  way  home.  I  have  no  doubt  some  of  the  parents  here 
to-day  scarcely  believe  that  their  children  are  at  enmity  with 
the  gracious  Saviour ;  perhaps  they  have  never  found  out  by 
experience  that  the  Bible  is  true,  when  it  says,  *  The  heart  is 
deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked.*    I  pray 


A  BOY'S  LETTER,  77 

that  they  may  learn,  as  many  of  you  have  learnt,  that  it  is  a 
very  wicked  thing  not  to  love  that  dear  Jesus  who  'first  loved 
us.'  Here  is  a  letter  from  a  little  boy  whom  I  found,  in  a 
children's  inquiry  meeting  in  Brooklyn,  weeping  and  asking 
how  he  could  get  a  new  heart.  He  says,  ^  I  thought  I  loved 
/esus,  but  Ifoiifid  I  vjas  a  gi-eat  sinner,^ 
i  "  I  will  read  it  to  you,  and  I  trust  the  Christians  present 
will  be  lifting  up  their  hearts  to  God,  that  all  here  may  find 
what  great  sinners  they  are  to  reject  the  loving  Saviour: 

**  *  I  was  always  in  the  liabit  of  coming  to  Sunday  school,  and  I 
thought  I  loved  Jesus,  until  you  came  and  told  us  about  Him ;  and  I 
found  that  I  was  a  great  sinner  to  reject  that  loving  Saviour,  who  suffered 
so  much  for  me.  At  the  first  meeting  I  did  not  care  much,  imtil  a  kind 
lady  in  the  inquiry  meeting  came  and  asked  me  if  I  loved  Jesus  :  I  did 
not  make  her  any  answer,  for  there  v/ere  other  boys  in  the  seat  with  me. 
So  she  sat  down  and  talked  with  us  a  long  time,  and  said  she  would 
pray  for  us,  and  it  was  then  I  commenced  to  feel  that  I  was  a  sinner, 
and  if  I  did  not  repent  of  my  sins,  I  could  never  enter  heaven ;  and 
when  I  went  home,  I  asked  God  to  give  me  a  nev/  heart,  and  make  me 
to  love  that  Saviour  who  died  for  me  ;  and  when  I  got  up  off  my  knees,  I 
felt  so  happy  that  I  could  not  help  singing.  Eut  still  I  did  not  say  any- 
thing, for  I  thought  tlie  boys  would  laugh  at  me  ;  and  you  said  we 
ought  not  to  be  ashamed  of  Jesus,  for  if  we  were  ashamed  of  Him,  we 
could  not  be  His  lambs.  So  when  I  went  home,  I  prryed  to  God  to 
help  me  not  to  be  ashamed  of  Jesus.  He  has  answered  my  prayer,  and 
has  given  me  a  new  heart,  and  I  do  not  think  I  will  ever  be  ashamed  of 
Him  again.  I  feel  very  happy  now  since  I  have  found  Jesus.  There 
are  other  boys  and  girls  who  have  found  Jesus  ;  and  oh  1  I  do  love  to 
be  at  our  little  prayer-meetings,  for  I  think  that  when  we  get  to  heaven 
">  we  shall  be  far  happier.  1  love  to  read  my  Bible  now,  and  before  I 
found  Jesus  I  never  thought  of  it,  except  whep  .  was  in  Sunday-school. 
But  I  love  it  now,  and  I  will  always  love  it '  and  I  love  to  pray  to  Jesus 
for  others  and  myselt     Pray  for  me, 

*'  *  Your  Young  FbiejJd.* 

"You  see  how  hr.ppy  this  dear  boy  is,  now  that  he  has 
found  Jesus  to  be  *  iJie  ciiild/s  Juide  to  heave  ft*    He  says  he 


78  A  NEW  HEART, 

asked  God  for  a  new  heart,  and  He  gave  it  to  him,  and  fee 
was  so  happy  that  he  could  not  help  singing.  Can  some  of 
you  tell  me  what  a  new  heart  is  ?  (Up  fly  dozens  of  little 
hands).     Well,  what  is  it  ?  " 

One  little  boy  answers — "  It  is  a  penitent  heart.** 

"  What  else  is  a  new  heart  ?  "  "  It  is  a  Jesus-trusting 
heart" 

"  Any  other  answer  ?  "  "  It  is  a  sin-hating  heart" 
Another:  "It  is  a  singing  heart" 

** And  what  else  is  a  new  heart?"  Another  answers — 
**  It  is  a  praying  heart" 

"  Yes,  you  see  this  little  boy  says,  *  I  love  to  pray  to 
Jesus  for  others  and  myself.'  Ah,  I  see  another  hand  up. 
Well,  what  is  your  definition  of  a  new  heart  ?  " 

**  It  is  a  v/orldng  heart." 

"  Very  good.  This  boy,  too,  must  have  had  a  working 
heart ;  you  see  he  did  all  he  could  to  get  others  to  follow 
Jesus,  the  *  Guide  to  heaven.'  Are  there  any  more 
answers  ?  " 

"A  Bible-loving  heart" 

"Very  good.  If  a  Bible-loving  heart  is  a  new  heart, 
then  this  boy  in  Brooklyn  must  have  had  a  new  heart, 
for  you  see  he  says,  *  I  love  to  read  my  Bible  now, 
and  before  I  found  Jesus  I  never  thought  of  it,  ex- 
cept when  in  Sabbath-school.  Are  there  any  other 
answers  ?  " 

"A  new  heart,"  said  a  little  girl,  "is  a  haj?jfy 
heart" 

"  Oh,  how  true !  None  of  us  can  be  really  happy  till 
we  find  Jesus  and  get  a  new  heart ;  and  we  shall  all  find  it 
to  be  truly  a  'happy  heart'  And  this  is  another  evidence 
that  this  boy  had  a  new  heart;  for  he  says,  *I  was  so 
knfpy  I  could  not  liclp  singlnp;.'  Let  us  count  up  some  of 
these  evidences  of  a  new  heart ;  we  will  place  them  like 


A    WOR ICING  HEART.  79 

gold  rinss  upon  our  fingers.  Here,  then,  is  the  first  on  the 
left  linle  finger.     WHiat  was  it?" 

Several  ans:ver — "  A  penitent  heart.**  "A  Jesus-tnisting 
heart"     "  A  sin-hating  heart."     "  A  singing  heart" 

" What  next  ? "     "A  praying  heart" 

"Yes;  and  what  was  the  name  of  the  *gold  ring*  for 
the  fifth  finger  ?  "     <*  A  working  heart" 

" The  sixth ? "     "A  Bible-loving  heart** 

"  And  what  for  the  next ?"     "A  happy  heart.** 

''Yes,  and  I  see  numbers  here  to-day  whose  happy  faces 
seem  to  show  that  they  have  this  new,  singing,  praying, 
Bible-loving,  working,  happy  heart  Some  of  you,  w^ho, 
only  a  iQ\N  days  ago,  were  weeping  to  think  how  your  sins 
helped  to  nail  the  hands  of  the  dear  Saviour  to  the  cruel 
cross,  I  sav/  at  w^ork  yesterday  in  the  children's  inquiry 
meeting,  and  by  your  words  and  prayers  trying  to  lead 
others  to  trust  in  the  Saviour.  I  am  glad  some  of  you  seem 
to  have  the  '  working  heart* 

"  I  pray  that  the  sight  of  these  many  happy  faces  may 
pierce  the  hard  hearts  of  some  older  ones  here  to-day,  and 
lead  them  to  trust  in  Jesus  as  their  Saviour  and  Guide.  I 
have  in  my  pocket  a  letter  from  a  lady  in  Hamilton,  in 
Canada,  who  was  first  startled  to  think  of  her  lost 
condition  by  having  a  friend  say  to  her  at  one  of  the 
Children's  Meetings  : 

*'  'How  happy  these  children  seem  !  It  makes  me  happy 
to  look  at  them.* 

*'  It  led  her  to  ask  the  question : 

"  *  Am  I  happy  ?  No !  I  have  all  that  this  world  can 
give ;  but  I  am  not  happy.* 

"  In  a  few  days  she  was  among  the  happy  young  con> 
verts,  r  nd  was  able  to  rejoice  in  the  *  love  of  Christ,  which 
passeth  knowledge*  (Eph.  iii.  19). 

"Now,  my  dear  little  friends,  do  you  v/ant  this  ntm 


8o  THE  NEW  WATCH. 

heart f  The  moinent  you  believe  in  Jesus,  you  have  it 
Let  us  all  turn  to  Ezekiel  xxxvi.  26.  There  it  says,  *A  new 
heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within 
you  :  and  I  v.'ill  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh, 
and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh.'  Our  Lord  will  not  lead 
you  one  step  towards  heaven  till  you  come  to  Him,  and  get 
rid  of  that  hard,  stony  heart.  While  many  have  felt  hapj)y 
here  to-day,  and  joined  heartily  in  singing  these  sweet  hymns, 
I  have  noticed  that  numbers  were  at  times  in  tears.  I  believe 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  been  showing  some  of  you  that  you 
are  losf^  and  that  you  have  Vv'icked,  hard  hearts.  And  what 
I  am  afraid  of  is,  that  you  will  be  satisfied  with  trying  to 
get  a  better  heart,  instead  of  coming  at  once  to  Jesus  for  a 
riCw  heart.  You  see  the  promise  in  this  verse  is  not  for  a 
better  heart,  but  for  a  new  heart. 

"  A  gentleman  once  bouglit  a  valuable  gold  v/atch ;  but  it 
did  not  keep  time.  He  did  not  knew  by  it  when  to  go 
home  to  his  dinner ;  he  thus  somictimes  lost  his  meals.  He 
took  it  back  to  the  watclimaker.  He  looked  at  it  with  his 
magnifying  glass,  and  tried  to  find  what  the  matter  was; 
but  it  was  all  in  vain.     He  said  to  the  gentleman, 

*'  *  It  is  a  perfect  watch,  and  must  keep  time.' 

"  He  took  it  home,  and  tried  it  again,  but  still  with  no 
success.  Lie  vrent  back  with  it,  quite  angry,  saying,  *I 
will  not  have  it ;  I  don't  care  if  it  is  full  of  jevrels,  it  will 
not  keep  tim.e,  and  that  is  v/hat  I  want  a  watch  for.' 

"At  length  the  vratchmakcr  found  that  one  of  the  wheels 
was  magnetized.  Bid  he  place  it  on  his  little  anvil,  and  try 
ta  make  it  better  ?  No.  He  took  it  cut  and  threw  it  away, 
and  put  a  new  wheel  in  its  place,  and  then  the  watch  kept 
good  time.  And  that  is  just  what  you  must  ask  God  to  do 
for  you,  and  He  will,  for  Christ's  sake,  take  away  that  bad 
v/heel  in  your  hearts  and  give  you  a  new  wheel  (a  new 
heart)    that    v/ill    regulate   all   your    actions    by   motives 


FROM  GETHSEMANE  TO  CALVARY.  Ci 

\^-hIch   you    have   never   known   before.      You    will   tlv 
love  the  Lord,  and  delight  to  follow  Him  as  your  *Guid- 
to  heaven.' 

**  This  is  the  way  to  get  those  five  gold  rings,  and  this  will 
make  you  rich  in  time  and  eternity.  In  the  thirty-seventh 
verse  in  this  same  chapter  in  Ezckiel,  you  arc  told  how  to 
get  that  new  licart :  *  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  vvill  yet  for 
this  be  inquired  of.'  Yes,  if  you  ask  in  faitli,  you  will  g'^t 
all  your  sins  forgiven,  and  a  new  heart,  so  that  you  will  tlien 
hate  sin.  You  see,  my  dear  children,  I  have  been  trying  to 
sliow  those  of  you  v\'ho  are  not  Christians,  that  you  arc  lest 
in  the  dark  ways  of  sin;  and  I  have  told  you  how  others 
found  the  way  to  Jesus,  '  the  Guide  to  heaven,'  and  how, 
when  they  trusted  Him,  they  had  a  new  heart  given  them, 
and  were  made  happy  and  v^^ere  sure  of  being  led  all  the 
way  to  His  blissful  presence  above. 

"  You  love  to  sing  the  sweet  hymns  and  hear  the 
stories.  But  who,  of  those  who  come  here  day  after  day, 
really  love  Jesus  ?  Like  this  boy  whose  letter  we  read,  you 
may  think  you  do  ;  but  you  may  be  mistaken,  as  he  was  at 
first.  Do  you  give  the  same  evidence  of  having  a  new  heart  ? 
I  have  been  trying  to  show  you  how  easy  it  is  to  come  to 
Christ  and  be  saved.  But  oh  !  it  was  not  such  an  easy  thing 
for  our  Lord  to  suffer  for  us,  that  Lie  might  save  us  from  our 
sins,  and  guide  us  to  heaven. 

*''Let  us  open  our  Bibles,  and  spend  a  few  moments  in 
foUowmg  the  steps  of  our  dear  Saviour  from  the  garden  of 
Gethsemane  to  the  cross  of  Calvary.  In  Luke  xxii.  42,  44, 
we  hear  Him  saying, 

"*  Father,  if  Thou  be  v/illinj,  remove  this  cup  from  Me And 

being  in  an  agony  He  prayed  more  earnestly  :  and   His  s\/eat  was  as  it 
were  great  drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the  ground.' 

«*The  thought  of  being  treated  as  a  sinner,  and  having  GoJ 

6 


8a  CHRIST  LED  TO  ANNAS  AND  CA/APHAS. 

turn  His  face  away  from  Him,  made  the  bloody  sweat  pout 
do\vn  His  brows.  But,  oh,  dear  children.  He  saw  that  there 
was  no  other  way  for  us  to  be  saved,  and  He  loved  us  so 
much  that  He  was  willing  to  die  for  us  !  and  so,  in  Matt, 
xxvi.  42,  we  hear  Him  saying, 

"  '  Thy  will  be  done.' 

"  Let  us  read  on  in  this  twenty-second  chapter  of  Luke, 
forty-fifth  verse, 

"*  When  He  rose  up  from  prayer,  and  was  come  to  His  disciples, 
He  found  them  sleeping  for  sorrow,  and  said  unto  them,  Why  sleep 
ye  ?  rise  and  pray,  lest  ye  enter  into  temptation.  And  while  He  yet 
spake,  behold  a  multitude,  and  he  that  was  called  Judas,  one  of  the 
twelve,  went  before  them,  and  drew  near  unto  Jesus  to  kiss  Him. 
But  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Judas,  betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  Man  with 
a  kiss?' 

**We  learn  from  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  verses  of  the 
eighteenth  chapter  of  John,  that 

" '  The  captain  and  officers  of  the  Jews  took  Jesus,  and  bound  Him, 
and  led  Kim  away  to  Annas  first.* 

"In  the  fifty-fourth  verse  of  Luke  xxii.  we  see  Him  agam 
taken  and  led  to  Caiaphas  the  high  priest's  house.  And 
we  see,  at  the  sixty-third  verse,  how  cruelly  they  treated  the 
Son  of  God,  who  made  all  things  : 

*•  'The  men  that  held  Jesus  mocked  Him,  and  smote  Him,  And 
when  they  had  blindfolded  Him,  they  strack  Him  on  the  face,  and  asked 
Him,  saying,  Prophesy,  who  is  it  that  smote  Thee  ?* 

*'  In  Mark  xiv.  65,  it  says, 

**  *  Some  began  to  spit  on  Him,  ....  and  to  buffet  Him  f 

**  that  is,  they  struck  Him  with  the  clenched  fist, 

**  *  And  the  servants  did  strike  Him  with  the  palms  of  their  handi 


TO  PILA  TE  AND  HEROD.  83 

«<0h,  how  wonderful  that  He  should  have  borne  all  so 
meekly  and  willingly  for  you  and  me !  And  what  hard 
hearts  we  must  have  not  to  love  Him  in  return  !  But  this 
was  not  alL  In  the  first  verse  of  the  twenty-third  chapter 
of  Luke, 

« '  The  whole  multitude  of  them  arose,  and  led  Him  unto  Tilate  j  and 
they  began  to  accuse  Him.* 

**  Fourth  verse, 

«<  *  Then  said  Pilate  to  the  chief  priests  and  to  the  people,  I  find  no 
fault  in  this  Man.     And  they  were  the  more  fierce.* 

«'  Oh  !  how  like  ravening  wolves  they  thirsted  for  His  blood, 
saying, 

"  '  He  stin-eth  up  the  people ....  throughout  all  Jewry,  beginning 

from  Galilee  to  this  place.' 

"When  Pilate  heard  that  He 

"  *  Belonged  unto  Herod's  jurisdiction,  he  sent  Him  to  Herod.' 

«  And  now,  in  the  eleventh  verse,  we  see  that  after  a  mock 
trial, 

«'  *  Herod  with  his  men  of  war  set  Him  at  nought,  and  mocked 
Him,  and  arrayed  Him  in  a  gorgeous  robe,  and  sent  Him  again  to 
Pilate.' 

<*  In  John  xix.  we  see  how  this  cruel  Roman  officer  treated 

the  Son  of  God. 

"  *  Then  Pilate  took  Jesus  and  scourged  Him  ;* 

"with  a  great  scourge  he  caused  Him  to  be  lashed,  till,  no 
doubt,  big  drops  of  blood  ran  down  His  back. 
"  Second  verse : 

" '  And  the  soldiers  platted  a  crown  cf  thorns,  and  put  it  on  HiS 

head,  and  they  put  on  Him  a  purple  robe,  and  said,  Hail,  Kin;^  of  the 
Jews !  and  they  smote  Kim  with  their  hands.  Pilate  therefore  went 
forth  again,  and  saith  unto  them,  Behold,  I  bring  Him  forth  to  you,  that 
j€  may  know  that  I  find  no  fault  ia  Him.* 


«4  THE  CRUCIFIXION. 

**No,  my  dear  children,  if  Pilate  could  have  justly  found 
any  fault  in  Christ,  He  could  never  have  been  our  Guide  to 
heaven.  He  never  did  one  wrong  thing  in  all  His  life. 
Yes,  He  who  knew  no  sin  was  made  sin  for  us. 

«* '  Then  came  Jesus  [forth,  wearing  the  crown  of  thorns,  and  the  ^ 
purple  robe.* 

**  The  crown-jewels  which  encircled  Queen  Victoria's  brow 
are  guarded  by  wakeful  eyes,  day  and  night,  in  the  great 
Tower  of  London.  They  cost  millions  of  dollars.  Crowds 
daily  flock  to  see  them.  But  Jesus,  the  King  of  kings, 
wore  this  cruel  crown  of  thorns  that  you  and  I,  rebels 
against  God,  might  wear  a  crown  of  glory.     Sixth  verse  : 

**  *  When  the  chief  priests  therefore  and  officers  saw  Him,  they  cried 
out,  saying,  Cmcify  Him,  Ciiiciiy  Him.* 

**  Sixteenth  verse : 

*'*  And  they  took  Jesus,  and  led  Him  away.  And  He  bearing  His 
cross  went  foi  th  into  a  place  called  the  place  of  a  skull,  which  is  called 
in  the  Hebrew  Golgotha  ;  where  they  crucified  Him.' 

**  They  laid  the  cross  down  upon  the  ground  and  then 
took  some  nails,  and  drove  them  through  His  hands  and 
feet.  Hark  !  can  you  not  almost  hear  the  hammer  as  it 
drives  those  rusty  spikes  through  His  sensitive  hands? 
Legions  of  angels  are  ready  to  deUver  Him,  and  are  able  to 
destroy  those  wicked  men.  But  no ;  the  Son  of  God  is 
being 

"•Wounded  for  our  transgressions  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities  j  * 

"  for  only  by  His  stripes  can  we  be  healed.     In  agony  cf  ' 
soul  more  than  of  budy,  He  cries : 

*'*  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me?' 

**  He  was  forsaken  for  our  sake. 

"And  the  words  of  Jesus  to  you,  are  I 


MOUNT  WASHINGTON.  85 

**  *  Look  unto  Me,  Jind  be  ye  saved  *  (Isa.  xlv.  22). 

"  It  seems  so  strange  to  me,  that  when  Christ  has 
done  so  much  for  us,  there  should  be  any  here  who 
DO  NOT  LOVE  Him.  An  anxious  little  girl  among  the 
inquirers  in  Dundee,  in  Scotland,  where  the  holy  Robert 
IMcCheyne  was  so  dearly  loved  by  the  children,  said  in  an 
inquiry  meeting  that  her  heart  was  so  wicked  she  could  not 
love  the  Saviour.  She  seemed  to  feel  her  sins  to  be  very 
;great,  but  declared  she  could  not  love  Jesus.  As  she 
(appeared  to  have  learned  that  she  needed  an  entirely  '  new 
Iheart,'  and  not  a  *  better  heart,'  we  began  to  tell  her  more 
!about  what  Christ  had  done  for  lost  sinners.  In  a  few 
imoments  she  looked  up  with  a  happy  smile,  saying, 
^  *"  I  can't  kelp  loving  Hni.  Oh,  I  wonder  I  never 
Iloved  Him  before,  v/ken  He  loved  me  so  much  as  to 
^be  willing  to  suffer  punishment  and  death  for  me.' 
\  "Why,  if  an  earthly  friend  had  done  half  as  much  for 
you  as  has  this  One,  who  so  *  well  deserves  the  name  of 
Friend,'  I  am  sure  you  would  not  be  so  ungrateful  as  not  to 
love  Him  in  return. 

"  This  reminds  me  of  a  touching  story  about  a  party 
who  determined  to  climb  to  the  top  of  Mount  Washington, 
more  than  six  thousand  feet  high.  But  they  rejected  the 
Guide.  Just  as  this  party  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  were 
leaving  the  hotel  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Washington,  the 
proprietor  urged  them  to  take  one  of  his  guides. 

•*  *  We  do  not  wisli  a  guide,'  they  said.  '  We  are  deter- 
mmed  to  find  our  own  way  to  the  "  Tip-top  House.' " 

"  *  But,'  said  lie,  '  I  will  let  you  have  one  for  half  price.' 
**  *  No  ;  we  do  not  want  one,  even  at  half  price.  We  can 
find  our  way  well  enough  alone.  Vv''e  will  follow  the  path, 
and  so  will  soon  find  our  way  to  the  hotel  at  the  top  of  the 
mountain,  and  there  we  shall  get  a  good  supper  and  all  we^ 
need  .^     —  ^ 


86  SNO  W-S  TORM  IN  S  U AIMER. 

"'You  may  get  lost,*  said  the  hotel-keeper,  *  without  a 
guide ;  and  rather  than  have  you  go  alone,  I  will  send  with 
you,  all  the  way,  a  good  faithful  guide  for  nothing.* 

"*No,  we  won't  have  him,  even  for  nothing;  we  want 
to  do  something  that  will  astonish  our  friends.' 

"  '  But  it  is  very  dangerous.* 

"  *  We  are  strong,  and  will  risk  it' 

"•Suppose  you  fmd  yourselves  in  a  snow-storm,  what 
would  the  ladies  do  ?  * 

"  One  of  them  laughed,  and  said,  *  That  would  be  very 
nice.     A  snow-storm  in  summer  :  I  hope  we  shall  see  one.' 

"  '  Yes,  yes  ! '  they  shouted ;  *  then  we  will  roll  up  some 
snow-balls,  and  see  them  go  rushing  down  the  mountain 
side  till  they  beccsiie  small  avalanches.* 

"  And  so,  with  hearts  full  of  hope,  they  started  off  for 
the  top  of  Mount  Washington.  On  they  went,  gay  as  larks, 
for  a  few  miles,  till  they  got  near  the  top  and  they  saw  a 
white  cloud  above  them.  Up,  up  they  v/ent  into  it.  They 
found  what  I  have  often  seen  in  Switzerland,  a  snow-storm 
among  the  mountains,  while  the  sun  was  pouring  its  warm 
rays  upon  the  people  in  the  valley  below. 

"  *  Isn't  this  fun  ?  *  said  one  and  another.  And  so  it 
was  for  a  short  time ;  but  after  a  while  the  snow  became  so 
deep  they  could  not  see  the  path.  Ah!  then  the  'fun* 
was  at  an  end,  and  they  began  to  think  of  the  v^-arning 
words  of  the  proprietor  of  the  hotel,  who  offered  them  a 
guide. 

**  *  Oh  !  how  I  wish  we  had  that  guide  now !  *  said  one. 

"  But  it's  too  late  to  go  back  for  him ;  we  must  fmd  our 
way  alone,'  said  another.  And  so  they  struggled  on,  some- 
times going  quite  out  of  the  way. 

"  Darkness  came,  and  they  were  lost  !  lost  in  the  deep 
snow  !  But  tliey  kept  moving  upward  as  well  as  they  could. 
The  two  ladies  got  so  tired  they  could  not  walk  ai.other 


LOS  T—FR  OZEN—DEA  Dt  87 

Step.  It  was  dreadfully  cold,  and  so  they  sank  down  in  the 
deep,  cold  snow,  and  waited  for  daylight  to  come  to  show 
them  the  way  to  the  *  Tip-top  House.'  In  the  morning, 
the  storm  had  all  cleared  away,  and  as  the  keepers  of  that 
house  looked  out,  they  saw  only  a  little  way  off,  not  much 
more  than  a  stone's  throw,  the  half-buried  party.  They 
went  to  them  at  once,  but  it  was  too  late  to  save  the  life  of 
one  beautiful  young  lady,  who  had  been  frozen  to  death 
during  that  awful  night,  and  all  because  she,  with  the  rest, 
had  said,  *  We  don't  tvant  the  guide.^ 

"  When  I  was  at  the  top  of  Mount  Washington,  a  few 
summers  ago,  I  saw  a  great  pile  of  stones,  which  had  been 
thrown  together  over  the  spot  where  iliis  young  lady  was 
found  co/d  in  death. 

"  How  foolish  they  were  not  to  accept  the  guide.  But 
suppose  they  had  taken  him,  and  he  had  lost  his  life  just  as 
he  had  got  them  all  safe  in  the  warm  hotel,  how  would  the 
party  have  felt  toward  him?  Jesus,  who  is  'the  child's 
Guide  to  heaven,'  had  to  die  a  dreadful  death  on  the  cross 
before  He  could  lead  sinful  children  to  heaven.  Yes,  my 
dear  little  friend.  He  died  in  your  place^  so  that  God  might 
forgive  you  all  your  sins. 

"  And  now  He  is  ready  to  take  you  with  Him  all  through 
the  journey  of  life,  safely  home  to  the  Golden  City. 

"  One  day,  as  the  train  entered  the  station  at  Rochester, 
New  York,  I  saw  a  crowd  of  people  gathering  around  a  little 
boy,  whom  the  conductor  was  leading  out  of  one  of  our  cars. 
Everybody  in  that  crowd  seemed  anxious  to  get  even  a  look 
at  the  little  fellow ;  and  so  I  waited  around  to  find  out  what 
it  was  all  about.  Soon  a  young  gentleman,  who  knew  me, 
came  and  told  me  something  that  interested  me  very  much, 
and  I  think  it  will  interest  you  too,  my  little  friends,  when 
you  hear  the  story. 

"This  boy,  who  did  not  look  over  three  years  old  ^  had 


88  A  PERSEVERING  LITTLE  BOY. 

been  off  alone,  twenty  miles  on  the  railway.  And  what  do 
you  think  took  him  off  so  far  alone?  *How  came  his 
mother  to  let  him  go  ?  M  can  hear  you  ask.  But  she  did 
not  let  him  go ;  he  ran  av/ay  down  to  the  station  all  alone, 
and  got  into  the  train  by  himself,  just  as  it  was  starting, 
and  av/ay  went  the  little  man  twenty  miles  before  anybody 
knew  where  he  was. 

"But  now  you  say,  *  What  made  him  do  such  a  strange 
thing  ? '     I  will  tell  you, 

"  He  loved  his  father  very  nuich,  because  his  father  used 
to  be  very  kind  to  him,  and  bring  him  home  toys,  and  play- 
things, and  picture-books,  and  candies,  and  lots  of  good 
things.  He  thought  there  was  nobody  quite  so  good  as  his 
father,  and  he  felt  sure  nobody  loved  him  so  much.  .Bac 
his  father  had  sojne  business  in  California,  thousands  of 
miles  away,  and  so  one  day  he  told  his  wife  and  children 
that  he  must  leave  them  all  and  go  there.  Little  Frankie  at 
once  said,  *  Can't  I  go  with  you,  papa?' 

"  *  No,  my  child ;  it  is  too  far  to  go  with  me.'  This 
made  the  little  fellow  cry  bitterly.  When  the  time  came  for 
the  father  to  set  out,  little  Frankie  was  not  allowed  to  go  to 
the  railway  sta.tion  with  him.  But  after  awhile  he  found  a 
way  to  get  out,  and  off  he  scampered  to  the  station  with  all 
his  might.  Just  as  he  reached  there  he  saw  a  train  about 
to  start,  and  lie  thought,  of  course,  that  his  father  must  be 
in  that  train,  and  into  it  the  little  boy  climbed,  and  went  all 
tlirough  the  car,  looking  for  his  dear  father.  After  he  had 
ridden  about  twenty  miles,  the  conductor  chanced  to  get 
hold  of  him  :  and,  having  found  out  his  name,  telegraplicd 
back  to  his  mothei,  and  then  gave  him  to  a  conductor  of  a 
train  they  met,  and  thus  he  was  taken  back  to  Rochester  to 
his  home.     It  v.-as  his  own  brother  who  told  me  all  this. 

"  And  what  do  you  think  /  thought  of,  when  I  looked 
Upon  the  face  of  that  persevering  little  fellov/,  and  knew  liow 


COXCLUSION  OF  ADDRESS,  89 

determined  he  had  been  to  find  his  father,  and  go  with  him 
to  CaUfornia  ?     I  will  tell  you. 

**  I  said  to  m.yself,  *  Oh  !  I  wish  that  little  children,  even 
as  young  as  three  or  four  years  old,  were  everywhere  so 
anxious  to  go  with  the  child's  Guide  to  heaven.  He  has 
done  ten  thousand  times  more  for  them  than  ever  that 
father  did  for  little  Frankie.'  This  dear  Saviour  loves  you, 
my  little  friends,  more  than  that  father  loved  his  little  boy, 
Frankie ;  and  He  is  the  only  One  that  can  take  you  home 
to  your  Father  in  heaven.  He  is  also  willing  to  give 
you  a  new  heart,  so  that  you  will  love  God  and  all  good 
thin^;?. 

"You  remember  that  poor  little  Frankie  was  disap- 
pointed because  he  could  not  go  with  his  father;  but  there 
never  was  a  boy  or  girl  who  really  wanted  to  go  with  Jesus, 
but  that  He  was  ready  to  take  them,  and  wake  them 

FIT  FOR  A  USEFUL  AND  HAPPY  LIFE  HERE,  AND  A  JOYFUL 
LIFE  IN  HEAVEN  FOR  EVER. 

"  But,  as  we  saw  when  I  was  reading  the  Bible,  before 
Jesus  could  offer  Himself  as  our  Guide,  He  had  to  die  in 
our  stead  that  dreadful  death  on  the  cross;  there  He  had  to 
suffer  for  our  sins  tliat  we  might  be  forgiven.  And  yet 
there  are  some  here  to-day  who,  I  fear,  do  not  love  Him  at 
all.  You  hate  Him;  you  speak  lightly  of  Him ;  you  profane 
His  name ;  you  are  ashamed  of  Him.  Perhaps  yesterday 
you  were  unwilling  your  own  dear  mother  should  know  you 
wanted  to  find  the  way  to  heaven.  You  have  often  heard 
how  He  loved  you,  and  yet  you  have  never  loved  Him  in 
return.  Does  not  this  show  that  you  have  wicked  hearts  ? 
Some  ot  you  I  see  are  in  tears.  But  weeping  wdll  not  save 
you.  All  that  you  can  do  is  to  confess  all  this — confess 
that  you  have  been  very  wicked  in  not  loving  Him  at  all, 
when  He  has  loved  you  so  much.  Here  is  a  precious  pro- 
mise for  you  in  i  John  L  9  :  *  If  we  confess  our  sins,  He  is 


90  PR  A  \ER. 

faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us 
from  all  unrighteousness,* 
"  Will  you  not  say, 

•*  •  Just  as  I  am,  and  waiting  not 
To  rid  my  soul  of  one  dark  blot, 
To  Thee  whose  blood  can  cleanse  each  spoiy 
O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  1'  ? 

"  Yes,  the  dear  Jesus  is  here,  full  of  love ;  He  sees  your 
tears ;  He  sees  you  wandering  in  the  dark  labyrinth  of  sin ; 
He  hears  all  your  sighs;  His  tender,  loving  words  are, 
*  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy-laden,  and 
I  will  give  you  rest'  (Matt.  xi.  28).  How  can  you  reject 
Him  when  He  so  gently  knocks  at  the  door  of  your 
heart  ? 

"  Shall  we  then  at  this  moment  bow  our  heads  in  prayer 
and  *  come  to  Jesus '  ?  Will  you  repeat  after  me  these 
words?     [All  bowed  their  heads,  and,  in  a  subdued  tone, 

repeated  aloud  after  Mr.  H ^  one  by  one,  these  sentences 

of  prayer] : 

"  Dear  Lord,  we  come  to  Thee  with  all  our  sins. — We 
have  been  very  wicked. — We  have  told  lies,  and  disobeyed 
our  parents,  and  done  many  wicked  things. — But,  worst  of 
all,  we  have  not  loved  Thee. — We  have  often  rejected  Thee. 
— Our  sins  helped  to  crucify  Thee. — And  yet  Thou  was**; 
willing  to  die  for  us. — Thou  v/ast  '  wounded  for  our  trans- 
gressions.*— Thou  art  able  to  save  unto  the  uttermost. — 
Thou  hast  said,  O  God  !  that  if  we  confess  our  sins.  Thou 
art  faithful,  for  Jesus'  sake,  to  forgive  us. — O  God  !  v/e  do 
confess  our  sins. — We  would  repent  of  them. — We  would 
wish  to  forsake  them. — O  God,  help  us  to  be  sorry  for  our 
sms,  and  to  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  died  on  the 
cross  for  sinners  like  us. — Dear  Saviour,  show  us  Thy  love, 
so  that  we  cannot  help  loving  Thee. — Thy  blood  cleanseth 


THE  CHILDREN'S  BAND. 


91 


from  all  sin. — Lord,  we  believe,  help  Thou  our  unbelief. — 
Help  each  of  us  to  say  from  the  heart — 

'*  'Just  as  I  am,  Thou  wilt  receive, 

Wilt  welcome,  pardon,  cleanse,  relievC) 
Because  Thy  promise  I  believe, 

O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  I  * 

"Yes,  Thou  Lamb  of  God,  we  give  ourselves  away  to 
Thee;  'tis  all  that  we  can  do. — Strengthen  our  dear 
ministers  and  our  Sabbath-school  teachers. — Reward  them 
for  their  faithfulness  to  us. — May  we  all,  at  last,  meet 
around  the  throne  of  God  in  heaven. — For  Jesus  Christ's 
Bake.     Amen.'  '* 

THE   "children's  BAND"  IN   LONDON. 

I  clipped  from  "  The  Independent "  (New  York)  some 
time  ago  an  account,  written  by  the  Rev.  Newman  Hall, 
concerning  what  he  calls  the  "Children's  Band"  in  London. 
It  bears  upon  the  subject  of  this  chapter  so  directly  that  it 
can  but  prove  instructive. 

Mr.  Hall's  article  was  written  several  years  after  the 
commencement  of  this  work  among  the  children,  and  yet 
he  says  : — 

"  During  the  present  year  I  have  had  the  fullest 

SATISFACTION  IN  WELCOxMING  TO  THE  LoRD's  TABLE,  FROM 
these  SERVICES,  FIFTEEN  ;  SIX  OF  WHOM  WERE  THIRTEEN 
YEARS   OLD,    ONE   TWELVE,   ONE   ELEVEN." 

Here  is  the  extract : 

"  Let  me  refer  to  a  conference  held  in  our  schoolroom 
on  the  subject  of  special  religious  services  for  children. 
And  I  cannot  do  better  than  simply  relate  some  facts  which 
were  given  by  Mr.  Tyler,  a  devoted  young  man,  who  conse- 
crates his  life  to  the  good  work  of  feeding  Christ's  lambs, 
Mr  Hammond,  from  America,  visited  us  in  1867;  and  his 


93  REV,  NEWMAN  HALU 

manner  of  urging  the  claims  of  Jesus  on  the  young  left  a 
deep  impression  on  many  minds.  After  his  visit,  children 
wha  felt  so  disposed  were  invited  to  attend  a  special 
rehgious  service  every  Sunday  and  Tuesday  evening.  They 
came  of  their  own  accord,  without  teachers.  The  hymns, 
prayers^  and  addresses  were  calculated  to  inspire  and 
impress  their  minds.  It  was  felt  that  there  should  be 
some  m.ethod  by  which  those  who  really  loved  Jesus  might 
be  able  to  coni'ess  Him,  and  also  enjoy  the  advantage  of 
the  sympathy  of  each  other.  So  the  *  Christian  Band '  was 
formed.  Papers  were  given  to  the  children  on  which  these 
four  questions  were  printed — Do  you  love  Jesus?  Are  you 
trusting  in  Jesus  as  your  own  precious  Saviour?  Will  you 
try  by  the  help  of  Jesus  to  give  up  everything  sinful  ?  Will 
y^u  try  to  be  more  and  more  like  Jesus  every  day  ? 

"To  these  questions  was  prefixed  the  inquiry,  *Dear 
little  friend,  can  5^ou  answer  Yes?'  Each  child  was  asked 
to  bring  back  the  paper  with  answers.  Some  were  not 
returned  at  all.  Others  came  back  with  such  replies  as 
these : 

"  To  the  first  question :  '  Yes,  with  joy  I  can  say  I  love 
Him.'  *  Yes,  with  all  my  heart.'  *  Yes,  because  He  died 
for  me.'  *Yes,  because  He  loves  m.e  so.'  *  Yes,  but  I 
siiould  like  to  love  Him  more.'  *I  will  try  with  my  whole 
heart.' 

"To  the  second  question:  *Yes,  I  feel  He  is  my 
precious  Saviour.'  *Yes,  I  will  try.'  *I  am  afraid  not,* 
etc. 

"To  the  third:  *  Yes,  I  will  pray  to  Him  to  help  me' 
(by  a  little  girl  of  eight  years,  since  gone  to  Him) !  *  Yes,  I 
will  try  more  and  more.' 

"  To  the  fourth  :  *  Yes,  I  wish  to  be  more  like  Him.' 
'Yes,  I  will,'  etc  Those  who  brought  back  the  papers 
were   asked  to   remain  after  the  rest  had  gone.     Special 


IMPRESSIONS  NOT  TRANSITORY,  93 

prayer  was  offered,  and  responded  to  sentence  by  sentence; 
a  simple  prayer  of  consecration. 

"  This  Christian  Eand  of  young  disciples  meet  oiire  a 
month,  when  the  names  of  those  who  have  ji)ined  durhig 
the  month  are  read  out.  They  are  specially  watched  over 
by  the  conductors  of  the  services,  and,  at  their  own  desire 
from  time  to  time,  are  recommended  to  the  pastor  for 
church  fellovv'ship,  still,  however,  continuing  attendance  at 
their  own  special  meetings. 

"  During  the  present  year  I  have  had  the  fullest  satisfac 
tion  in  welcoming  to  the  Lord's  table  fifteen  from  these 
services  3  six  of  whom  were  thirteen  years  old,  one  twelve, 
and  one  eleven.  But  this  does  not  indicate  the  total  result 
to  the  Church,  for  the  services  are  unsectarian.  7'he  chil- 
dren come  from  the  district.,  and  are  encouraged  to  unite 
themselves  with  any  church  which  their  parents  or  friends 
prefer.  Some  may  fear  that  the  impression  produced  will 
in  most  cases  prove  transitory.  To  aid  in  forming  a  correct 
judgment,  inquiry  has  been  made  respecting  the  first  fifty 
who  joined  the  Christian  Band  three  years  ago.  Of  these, 
ten  are  church  members,  twenty  are  still  regular  and  con- 
sistent members  of  the  *  Band,'  seven  belong  to  the  Episco- 
pal Church  and  are  not  visited  lest  it  should  be  thought 
there  was  a  wish  to  proselytise,  two  attend  a  Wesleyan 
chapel  with  their  parents,  nine  have  left  the  neighbourhood, 
one  sleeps  in  Jesus,  one  is  unsatisfactor}^  yet  often  penitent. 

"  These  children  often  speak  to  their  companions  and 
invite  them  to  the  meeting,  and  urge  them  to  love  Jesus. 
They  hold  prayer-meetings,  at  which  the  petitions  indicate 
the  fullest  trust  in  the  efficacy  of  prayer.  A  friend  over- 
heard the  following :  *  Please,  Lord,  make  me  a  good  girl. 
Bless  my  father  and  bless  my  mother ;  and  O  Lord,  do 
send  father  some  work,'  ** 


flip 


CHAPTER  VL 

HO  IV  EARLY  MAY  CONVERTED  CHILDREN  JOIN  IHE 

CHURCH? 


WORDS   OF  JESUS  : 

TAKE  HEED  THAT  YE  DESPISE    NOT   ONE   OF  THESE  LITTLE  ONKS. 

Matt,  xviii.  lo. 

•'THIS   DO   IN  REMEMBRANCE  OF  ME." 

Luke  xxii.  19. 


EED  MY  LAMBS."  This  is  a  subject  of  very 
tender  interest  to  me.  The  little  babe  after  it 
is  born  needs  the  solicitous  care  of  the  mother 
and  nurse.  Just  so  little  "  babes  in  Christ "  need  to  be 
cared  for  most  tenderly.  A  sheplierd  who  had  a  fine  flock 
of  sheep,  was  once  asked  how  it  was  he  had  such  beautiful 
sheep.     His  answer  was,  "  I  take  care  of  the  lambs." 

Dr.  Butler,  in  Auburn,  Maine,  once  told  me  that  twenty- 
two  years  before,  in  a  place  where  he  had  been  a  pastor,  ;*. 
large  number  of  children  had  been  converted.  Grave 
doubts  were  expressed  as  to  the  propriety  of  receiving  them 
into  the  Church.  He  had  no  little  difficulty  in  inducing 
the  officials  to  receive  them ;  but  at  last  they  were  led  to  do 
so.  "And,"  said  he,  "I  am  thankful  for  it.  They  aie 
to-day  pillars  of  that  Church." 

I  believe  that  children  converted  should  be  gathered 
?ind  instructed  by  themselves  week  by  week.     Sometimes  I 


ALL  OF  CHRIST  'S  COMMANDS,  95 

have  observed  that  pastors  have  selected  several  earnest 
Christian  men  and  women,  and  given  them  the  care  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  of  these  new-born  souls,  and  that  those 
friends  have  convened  the  children  each  week  at  their  houses 
for  instruction.  Thus  the  Httle  ones  have  been  led  along  step 
by  step  in  the  divine  life.  It  is  well,  also,  to  encourage  the 
little  ones  to  attend  the  weekly  Church  prayer-meetings. 

Lorenzo  Dow  used  to  say  that  a  good  farmer  would 
always  put  the  hay  so  low  in  the  racks  that  even  the  little 
lambs  could  get  some  of  it.  And  so  it  seems  to  me  that 
spiritual  food  should  be  so  dealt  out  that  little  children 
should  be  enabled  to  gi-asp  it  and  grow  thereby. 

The  Church  of  God  is  the  place  for  all  of  His  children, 
both  old  and  young,  and  thither  these  little  ones  should  be 
brought 

Rev.  Dr.  Hawley,  of  Auburn,  N.Y.,  once  told  me 
that  he  had  in  his  Church  a  little  girl  who  was  early  con- 
verted. She  came  before  the  session  for  examination.  In 
order  to  satisfy  his  elders  he  asked  her  some  pretty  severe 
questions,  but  she  answered  them  with  much  clearness. 
Finally,  he  said  to  her : 

"  You  are  a  very  little  girl ;  only  nine  years  old.  What 
would  you  think  if  we  should  deem  it  best  for  you  to  remain 
a  few  years  out  of  the  Church,  until  you  are  older?" 

The  little  thing  burst  into  tears,  and  said  : 

^^  I  want  to  obey  all  of  Clirisfs  comniands^  and  He  has 
said  J  *  This  do  in  remejubrafice  of  Me.^ " 

What  was  it  but  the  Spirit  of  God  that  taught  her  that 
these  words  were  applicable  to  little  children  as  well  as  to 
adults  !  It  is  a  great  comfort  for  me  to  believe  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  can  adapt  His  teacliings  to  the  understanding 
of  litde  children. 

A  number  of  years  ago,  in  the  city  of  Washington,  a 
friend  of  mine,  as  he  wr.s  leaving  the  house  to  p»-each  a 


96  **rvE  DONE  it:' 

sermon  in  a  series  of  meetings,  observed  a  little  girl  running 
tlirough  the  hall,  and  heard  her  say : 

"  Mamma,  I  want  to  go  to  meeting  to-night;  I  want  to 
be  a  Christian  !  " 

"  Why,  you  are  only  six  years  old,"  replied  her  motlier. 
"  Your  bed-time  is  seven  o'clock,  the  meeting  v/ill  not  be 
out  until  nine  or  ten  o'clock." 

"  But,  mamm.a,  I  want  to  go  to  church  to-night  and  learn 
to  love  Jesus,  as  the  rest  are  doing." 

My  friend  turned  to  the  child  and  said  : 

**  You  can  give  your  heart  to  Jesus  here  at  home." 

She  replied  quickly,  "  I  will." 

When  they  returned,  the  little  girl  came  bounding 
through  the  hall,  exclaiming — 

"  I  have  done  it !  I  have  done  it  ! " 

"  What  have  you  done  ?  "  asked  her  mother. 

"  Why,  I  have  given  myself  to  Jesus,  and  I  knov/  He 
has  received  me.     I  am  so  happy." 

Little  notice  was  taken  of  the  occurrence,  for  neither 
the  mother  nor  the  preacher  believed  the  child  understood 
the  import  of  the  w^ords  she  used.  Three  weeks  afterwards 
the  pastor  gave  notice  that  anyone  who  had  been  recently 
converted  should,  on  a  certain  day,  present  themselves  for 
examination.  Little  Clara  found  her  way  to  the  examination 
room  at  the  appointed  time.     The  pastor  said  to  her, 

"  What  are  you  here  for,  my  child  ?  " 

"Why,  I  have  come  here  to  be  examined." 

*  Examined  for  what  ?  " 

"To  join  the  Church." 

"  But  you  are  too  young.     How  old  are  you  ?  ^ 

"  I  am  six  years  old." 

*'  That  is  too  young." 

Looking  up  inquhingly  into  the  pastofs  face,  she  coa- 
tinucd. 


MR.  SPURGEON—DR.  SIM  IV,  ^ 

"You  come  to  our  Sunday-school,  and  you  tell  us  to 
come  to  Jesus  ;  you  say  that  He  died  on  the  cross  for  us ; 
and  that  if  we  will  trust  in  Him,  God,  for  His  sake,  will  for- 
give us  our  sins,  and  give  us  new  hearts,  and  make  us  happy. 
How  old  must  children  he  before  they  can  beco.-ne  Christians  2  " 

These  words  puzzled  the  minister  and  the  officers.  They 
found  they  were  getting  examined^  and  a  question  had  been 
asked  at  the  very  beginning  too  difficult  for  them  to  solve. 

Finally,  they  were  forced  to  examine  her,  which  they 
did  with  reluctance.     The  pastor  then  said  : 

"  We  believe  you  have  been  converted  ;  but  you  are  so 
very  young  we  feel  we  cannot  admit  you  into  the  Church  for 
several  years." 

And  thus  the  poor  child  was  left  out  in  the  cold  for 
three  long  years.  It  is  a  wonder  she  did  not  freeze  to 
death.  But  after  these  years  she  was  found  alive  and  taken 
into  the  Church,  and  is  now  an  earnest  Christian  mother  in 
the  city  of  Vv'ashington. 

If  there  is  a  blessing  connected  with  the  ordinance  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  I  cannot  see  why  children  should  be 
debarred  the  privilege  of  joining  with  God's  people  in  that 
ordinance. 

Mr.  Spurgeon  once  said  that  he  had  been  in  the  habit 
of  receiving  thirty  or  forty  children  into  his  Church  every 
year;  that  he  had  found  it  necessary  to  excommunicate 
one  or  two  adults  in  that  time,  but  that  he  had  never  yet 
found  it  necessary  to  dismiss  one  received  in  the  early  years 
or  childhood. 

Dr.  Shaw,  of  Rochester,  New  York,  has  said  that  for 
twenty-five  years  he  has  been  in  the  habit  of  taking  children 
into  his  Church,  and  he  never  regretted  having  done  so. 

The  nature  of  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper  should 
be  fully  explained  in  a  very  simple  manner,  so  that  children 
can  understand  it  \  and  then,  if  they  desire  to  connect  them- 


98  DR,  BUSH  NELL. 

selves  with  God's  people,  they  should  not  be  hindered.  He 
who  hinders  is  in  danger  of  hearing  the  Saviour's  warning, 
"  Whoso  shall  offend  one  of  these  little  ones  which  believe 
in  Me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a  millstone  v/ere  hanged 
about  his  neck,  and  that  he  were  drowned  in  the  depth  of 
the  sea." 

We  should  not  expect  too  much  of  these  little  children. 
I  remember  once  hearing  of  the  officer  of  a  church  who  was 
very  much  opposed  to  a  certain  boy  being  received  into  fellow- 
ship; whenever  it  was  proposed  he  strongly  objected.  But  at 
last  the  pastor's  good  counsel  prevailed  and  the  boy  was 
received.  The  next  morning  the  pastor  heard  the  door-bell 
ring  as  if  the  house  vvcre  on  fire.  Hastily  dressing  himself, 
he  descended,  and  found  the  office-bearer,  out  of  breath, 
and  greatly  excited. 

"  That  boy  you  took  into  the  Church,"  said  he,  "  I  saw 
coming  down  the  hill  this  morning  playing  horse  as  hard  as 
he  could  I    I  guess  that  is  the  end  of  his  religion  I " 

This  good  man,  it  appears,  was  greatly  troubled  because 
the  Uttle  boy  vras  taking  exercise  in  the  pure  morning  air. 

"  They  will,"  says  Dr.  Bushnell,  "  as  many  of  us  do,  live 
a  mixed  Hfe,  sinning  and  repenting ;  but  let  us  not,  on  this 
account,  debar  them  from  the  privilege  of  assembling  them- 
selves with  God's  people  at  stated  times,  to  commemorate 
the  dying  love  of  Jesus." 

In  some  places  to  which  I  have  returned  after  a  revival, 
I  have  found  the  little  ones  wandering  about  like  strayed 
lambs  upon  the  mountains.  When  I  have  asked  them  if 
they  were  not  Christians,  they  have  hesitatingly  said, 

"  I  thought  I  Y/as  when  you  were  here,  but  I  fear  I  was 
not." 

"  Did  you  join  the  Church  ?  " 

•*No,  sir;  I  wanted  to,  but  my  father  (or  pastor,  or 
some  one)  said  I  was  too  young ;  and  when  I  fell  into  sin, 


A  CHILD  'S  EXPERIENCE. 


99 


my  brother  pointed  his  finger  at  me  and  said,  *  You  are  a 
pretty  Christian ;  you  are  no  more  one  than  I  am ! '  so  I 
have  often  been  led  to  fear  that  I  was  not  converted." 

"  Do  you  love  to  pray  ?  "     "  Oh,  yes  1" 

*'Do  you  love  God's  people?  " 

"Yes,  I  love  to  be  with  them." 

The  whole  trouble  with  the  children  who  talk  in  this  way 
is  just  here ;  they  were  converted,  they  want  to  join  the 
Church,  but  for  one  reason  or  another  they  are  not  allowed 
to  do  so.  And  thus  they  become  discouraged,  and  almost 
abandon  their  hope  in  Christ. 

Upon  returning  to  other  places  where  the  children  have 
been  watched  over,  and  after  being  carefully  examined  have 
been  received  into  the  Church,  I  have  been  delighted  to  find 
them  daily  grooving  in  grace,  and  able  clearly  to  give  a 
reason  for  the  hope  that  is  in  them. 

Those  who  have  not  been  in  the  habit  of  entering  into 
close  conversation  vrith  converted  children  would  be 
astonished  to  find  the  clearness  with  which  they  give 
evidence  that  they  have  passed  from  death  unto  life.  For 
the  sake  of  such  I  will  here  introduce  a  conversation  which 
I  held  with  a  little  boy  about  nine  years  old,  in  the  Rev. 
Baptist  Noel's  church  in  London,  in  1867,  and  whom  I 
found  lingering  in  the  chapel  after  tlie  congregation  was 
dismissed : 

'*  Why  do  you  look  so  happy,  my  boy  ?  " 

"I  think  it  is  because  I  have  found  Jesus." 

**  But  what  makes  you  think  you  have  found  Him?"*^ 

«*  Oh,  I  know  I  have.'* 

**But  huw  do  you  know?  We  read  in  I  Peter  iii.  15,  ^  Be  ready 
always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that  asketh  you  a  reason  of 
the  hope  that  is  in  you,  v/ith  meekness  and  fear.*  Now  wliat  is  you? 
reason  for  thinking  that^w.'  are  a  Christian  ?  " 

**  Because  I  know  that  He  has  forgiven  me  all  my  sins.*' 

"  But  have  you  really /c//  that  you  were  a  sinner  ?  " 


100  A  CHILD'S  EXPERIENCE. 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  I  have  felt  that  many  times.     I  know  I  have  done  mariy 

wicked  things." 

*'  What  wicked  things  have  you  done?*' 

**  Oh,  I  have  told  lies,  and  disobeyed  my  parents.  But  the  other 
flight,  when  I  heard  you  tell  of  how  Jesus  Christ  died  such  a  dreadful 
death  on  the  cross  for  us,  I  felt  I  was  a  great  sinner  not  to  love  Him  for 
I  felt  ashamed  that  I  had  never  thanked  Him  for  His  great  love  to 
me.  If  He  had  not  been  *  wounded  for  my  transgressions,'  I  know  I 
must  have  been  lost  for  ever.  It  made  me  cry  to  think  that  I  had 
been  so  wicked  as  not  to  love  Him." 

**  And  did  you  repent  of  this  sin  ?" 

**  Oh,  yes,  I  was  very  sorry  for  it,  and  I  asked  Him  to  forgive  me." 

•'  But  did  He  forgive  you  ?  "     "  Oh,  yes." 

**  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  I  know  it,  because  I  heard  you  read  out  of  the  Bible,  *If  we  con- 
fess our  sins,  He  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins; '  and  I  con- 
fessed my  sins  :  so  I  know  He  forgave  me." 

**  But  are  there  no  other  reasons  why  you  think  you  are  a  Christian? 
What  do  you  love  now  that  you  did  not  love  before?'* 

"Oh,  I  love  Jesus,  and  I  never  thought  so  much  about  Him  before. 
I  feel  that  He  is  near  me  almost  all  the  time.  I  think  about  Him  when 
I  first  wake  up  in  the  morning." 

"  And  is  there  anything  else  that  you  love  that  you  did  not 
before  ?  *' 

**  Yes  ;  I  love  to  pray.  Before,  I  just  said  my  prayers,  because  my 
mother  taught  them  to  me  ;  but  after  I  received  a  new  heart  I  loved  to 
pray.  And  sometimes  I  pray  now  as  I  walk  the  streets  :  I  pr^y  for 
my  little  friends  that  they  may  love  Jesus  and  be  as  happy  as  I  am.* 

*'Is  there  nothing  else  that  you  love  now,  that  you  did  not  love 
before  ?    Do  you  not  love  the  Bible  novr  ? " 

**  Oh,  yes,  very  much  ;  I  love  tr  read  it  as  often  as  I  can.  I 
could  not  understand  it  before,  but  now  I  love  to  hear  it  read.  Every 
morning,  when  papa  reads  it,  I  listen  to  every  word." 

**  What  part  of  it  do  you  love  best  ?  " 

•*  The  New  Testament,  where  v,e  are  told  how  Jesus  died  for  ns.*' 

•*  Tell  me  how  you  feel  towards  those  v.'ho  you  think  are  Christians." 

'*I  love  to  be  with  them.  Ii  I  know  they  love  Jesus,  then  I  love 
them  very  much.** 

•*In  John's  first  Epistle  iii.  14,  we  read:  *  We  know  that  \vk 

HAVE  PASSED  FROM  DEATH  UNTO  LIKE,  P.ECAUSE  WE  LOVE  TIIK 
BRETHREN.'  Now,  if  you,  my  little  friend,  have  repented  of  your 
Bins  and  have  come  to  Christ  for  panloi  ;  if  you  love  the  dear  Saviour, 


A  CHILDREN'S  CHURCH,  ici 

and  \ovt  the  Bible,  and  love  God*s  people,  then  it  would  'be  quite  right 
for  you  to  say  ;  '  /  ktiovj  that  I  have  passed  froyn  death  unto  life,  because 
I laz'e  the  brethren.*  If  this  is  all  true  that  you  have  told  me,  then 
it  was  quite  right  for  you  to  answer  me  in  the  way  you  did  when  I 
asked  you  what  made  you  so  happy.  But  what  are  you  going  to  do 
when  the  devil  tempts  you  to  do  v^Tong  ?  " 

'*  Pray  to  God  to  help  me  to  do  right.'* 

«*  But  what  if  you  forget  to  pray,  and  so  do  wrrong  almost  before 
you  think  of  it  ?  What  if  you  get  angiy  and  say  some  naughty  words 
almost  before  you  know  it  ?     What  will  you  do  then  ?  " 

♦*I  shall  go  and  tell  God  I  am  very  sorry,  and  ask  Him  to  forgive 
me." 

"  Cut  suppose  something  says  to  you,  ♦  You  are  not  a  Christian,  for 
if  you  had  been  you  would  not  have  displeased  Jesus.  What  will  you 
do  then?" 

This  seemed  to  trov.ble  the  little  boy,  and  then  I  said  to 
him: 

*'  For  the  first  few  months  after  I  gave  myself  to  Christ,  I  used  to 
find  so  much  sin  in  my  heart  that  I  often  scarcely  dared  to  hope  that  I 
was  a  Christian  ;  and  Satan  often  at  such  times  said  to  me  :  *  You  are 
no  Christian  ;'  but  then  I  remembered  that  Je-us  had  said,  in  John  vi. 
37,  *  Him  that  cometh  to  J.Ic,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out ; '  and  so  I 
used  to  go  at  once  to  Him  and  say :  *  Dear  Saviour,  even  if  I  was 
deceived  before,  I  give  myself  to  Thee  now.  Oh,  take  me,  and  make 
me  Thine  OAvn  obedient  child.'  And  He  always  took  me  back  to  His 
loving  bosom.  And  whenever  Satan  tempts  you  to  think  that  you  are 
not  a  Christian,  if  you  will  go  to  Jesus,  I  am  sure  He  will  receive  you. 
But  if  you  live  near  to  Him  and  pray  to  Him  every  day,  and  seek  to 
obey  His  commands,  you  will  not  be  filled  with  doubts  and  fears,  but 
you  will  be  happy  all  the  time.^' 

While  at  Ocean  Grove  I  found  there  had  been  a  v/ork 
of  grace  going  on  among  the  children  before  I  arrived. 
They  had  what  they  called  a  "  child's  church,"  into  v/hi^  h 
children  giving  evidence  of  having  experienced  a  change  of 
heart  were  gathered. 

K  few  years  ago,  while  spending  a  day  or  tv:o  at  Sara- 
toga,  a  lady  left  her  card  at  the  hotel  where  I  was  stopping. 
I  did  not  remembei  the  name,  but  soon  after  called  at  her 


xoa  CHILDREN  A  T  SARA  TOGA, 

hotel  Though  I  did  not  find  her  in,  two  little  children 
whom  I  saw  in  the  drawing-room  came  running  to  me  and 
expressed  great  delight  at  seeing  me.  I  found  that  they 
v/ere  members  of  a  Sunday-school  in  Brooklyn,  and  had 
attended  the  meetings  I  had  held  in  that  city  a  year  before. 
After  a  pleasant  chat  with  the  children,  I  asked  them  if  they 
still  loved  Jesus.     They  said, 

"  Oh,  yes  !  we  have  loved  Him  ever  since  those  meet- 
ings, and  been  happy  all  the  time." 

"  Have  you  joined  the  Church?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Oh,  no,"  answered  the  little  girl  of  twelve.  "  I  wanted 
to,  but  mother  would  not  let  me *' 

"And  so  did  I,"  said  the  little  seven-year-old,  "but 
mother  would  not  let  i?ie  either." 

They  both  burst  into  tears.  Just  at  that  moment  their 
mother  entered,  and  was  astonished  to  find  her  children 
weeping.  Instead  of  answering  her  question  as  to  the  cause 
of  their  tears,  I  beckoned  her  to  accompany  me  to  the 
verandah,  and  asked  her  if  she  thought  her  children  v>'ere 
Christians.     Her  answer  vras, 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it.  They  were  converted  at  those 
meetings  you  held  in  Dr.  Cuyler's  church  in  Brooklyn. 
They  have  never  ceased  to  love  the  Saviour,  and  they  are 
consistent  in  their  lives." 

*'  Have  they  joined  the  Church?"  I  asked. 

**  Oh,  no ;  they  are  too  young  for  that.  They  wanted 
to,  but  we  did  not  think  it  best." 

Said  I,  "  That  is  the  cause  of  their  tears.  They  told  me 
they  desired  to  join  the  Church,  but  you  would  not  let  them." 

I  once  said  to  Mr.  Moody  that  I  had  sometimes  thought 
1  would  give  my  whole  time  up  to  children,  it  being  so 
much  easier  to  lead  them  to  Christ. 

"Oh,"  said  he,  "that  would  be  cruel.  You  should 
always  remain  in  a  place  until  the  Christians'  hearts  are 


AT  WHAT  AGE  X03 

thoroughly  warmed,  so  that  they  will  take  care  of  the  little 
children."  I  felt  the  truth  of  it,  for  why  should  living  chil- 
dren be  given  to  dead  parents  ? 

AT  WHAT  AGE    IS   IT   SAFE   TO   ADMIT    CHILDREN    INTO  THE 
CHURCH  ? 

It  cannot  be  answered  in  a  word,  for  children  differ  so 
much  in  intelligence  and  capacity.  Some  are  more  mat'U-e 
at  five  years  of  age  than  others  at  ten. 

"  What  is  the  age,"  writes  a  pastor,  "  of  the  youngest 
child  you  know  of  that  has  been  admitted  to  the  communion 
of  the  Lord's  Supper?  A  little  lad  in  my  congregation, 
between  eight  and  nine  years  old,  has  found  the  Saviour,  and 
obtained  from  Him  a  new  heart.  He  comes  into  my  Young 
Men's  Prayer  jMeeting,  held  in  my  study  every  night  We  think 
his  case  very  interesting ;  he  is  very  bright  and  intelligent. 

The  following  letter,  which  I  received  from  a  little  child 
in  Williamsport,  Pennsylvania,  suggests  an  answer  to  the 
above.  It  seems  that  she  was  but  six  years  of  age  when  she 
was  admitted  to  the  Lord's  table.  She  is  now  eleven  years  ot 
age.  A  minister  who  has  known  her  during  these  five  years 
told  me  she  has  lived  a  consistent  Christian  life. 

She  tells  her  own  story  in  these  words,  which  I  copy 
from  her  letter  : 

*'  When  I  was  six  years  old  I  felt  I  loved  Jesu3,  and  have  been 
trying  to  keep  His  word.  My  father  was  then  statioa;)d  at  Jersey 
Shore,  and  I  asked  him  to  let  me  join  the  Church,  which  he  did,  on 
probation.  I  served  my  probationship  there.  I  joined  the  class  my 
ma  belonged  to,  and  have  been  tiying  to  live  for  Jesus,  though  I  often 
do  things  I  should  not  do  ;  but  I  pray  to  God  to  forgive  me,  and  I 
know  He  does,  for  I  feel  it. 

**  On  the  8th  of  January  my  dear  pa  died.  He  was  stationed  here 
at  Pine  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  A  short  time  before  he 
died,  he  wished  to  see  us  little  children.  I  wept  so  when  I  saw  he 
would  die.  He  said,  *  Don't  cry,  Allie,  you'll  come  to  heaven  some 
time,  and  see  your  papa  there.*  I  am  trying  to  meet  him  in  heaven. 
Pray  for  me." 


I04  REV.  RICHARD  FULLER. 

WTiile  I  write,  a  mother  tells  me  that  her  daughter  joined 
the  Church  when  she  was  eight  years  of  age,  and  that  she 
has  follov/ed  Jesus  faithfully  for  eleven  years.  She  also  tells 
me  that  at  one  time,  eleven  of  her  nieces  and  nephews 
joined  the  Church  before  they  were  twelve  years  of  age,  and 
that  now,  after  eight  years,  they  each  honour  their  pro 
fession. 

When  in  Baltimore  I  became  acquainted  with  Rev. 
Richard  Fuller,  D.D.,  who  has  since  gone  to  his  reward. 
He  loved  to  see  children  coming  to  the  Saviour.  He  says  : 
"  I  once  thought  I  was  doing  God  service  in  opposing  the 
reception  of  young  children  into  the  Church,  and  was  most 
thoroughly  and  touchingly  corrected  by  my  own  first-born. 
At  the  age  of  ten  she  told  mo  of  her  conversion,  and 
desired  baptism. 

"*]\Iy  darling  child,*  I  replied,  'you  are  young,  and 
your  gay  relatives  and  companions  may  lead  you  into  the 
world." 

"  '  My  father,'  she  said,  '  am  I  too  young  to  love  you 
and  my  mother?  and  ought  I  not  to  love  Jesus  before  all 
and  above  all  ? ' 

"  Since  then  I  have  rc'joiced  to  welcome  children  to 
Him  vA\Q  says,  'Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  Me, 
and  forbid  them  not,'  thus  rebuking  in  His  apostles  the 
very  prejudice  we  now  encounter.  I  may  add  that  the 
death-bed  of  this  precious  daughter  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
three,  was  a  triuinpliant  termination  to  a  life  of  purity  and 
love.  Never  have  I  known  or  read  of  such  bodily  suffering ; 
nor  of  such  exaltation  in  Jesus." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cox  once  informed  me,  that  while  he  was 
a  pastor  in  Brooklyn,  there  was  a  rule  in  Iv.s  Church  pro- 
hibiting children  under  fourteen  years  of  age  from  becoming 
members  of  it.  A  bright  little  Christian  girl  asked  for 
admittance.     The  session  with  various  excuses  put  her  off 


AWAY  WITH  SUCH  RULES^  105 

from  time  to  time.  At  last  her  pastor  told  her  plainly  that 
she  was  too  young  to  be  received  into  the  Church.  As  she 
was  v/ell  acquainted  with  Dr.  Cox,  she  laid  her  head  upon 
his  shoulder,  and  wept  After  a  little  she  tenderly  lifted  her 
eyes  to  his,  and  said,  "  Dr.  Cox.  Jesus  would  not  treat  me 
so.  He  says,  '  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  Me.' " 
The  pastor  at  once  exclaimed,  ^^  Away  with  all  these  rules 
which  conflict  luith  Christ's  Word!" 

Dr.  Henr}^  Clay  Fish,  in  his  "Handbook  of  Ile\ivals," 
says : 

"  We  talk  to  our  children  in  the  family  and  Sunday- 
school  about  Jesus  loving  little  children,  and  being  ready 
to  receive  them.  We  urge  them  to  begin  now  to  love  Him, 
repeating,  *  I  love  them  that  love  Me,  and  those  that  seek 
Me  early  shall  find  Me.'  We  tell  them  they  may  die  early, 
and  that  that  is  a  reason  why  they  should  repent  no>v\ 
And  vv-e  pray  for  their  immediate  conversion,  and  teach 
them  to  sing  of  the  loveliness  of  infant  piety.  But  when 
they  tell  us  they  love  Jesus,  and  v/ould  like  to  profess  their 
love  for  Him.  tve  hesitate,  and  advise  caution  and  delay. 

"  Even  w  here  parents  are  compelled  to  acknowledge  a 
great  change  in  the  child,  and  see  better  evidence  of  piety 
(as  they  admit)  in  the  child  than  in  themselves,  they  oppose 
the  idea  of  his  joining  the  Church. 

Alas  for  such  inconsistency !  Do  we  not  thus  show  that 
our  prayers  for  the  speedy  conversion  of  children  were 
faithless  ?  Do  we  not  depreciate  and  undo  our  own  teach- 
ings ?  And  do  we  not  cast  discredit  upon  the  vrork  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  discourage  all  efforts  on  the  part  of  a  child 
to  fellow  the  divine  requirements. 

*'  It  is  astonishing  that  the  teaching  and  the  practice 
ci  Christians  here  are  so  at  variance.  Why  not  cease  this 
perpetual  talk  about  child-piety,  or  else  accept  its  conse- 
quences ?     If  we  believe  what  we  preach,  namely,  that  the 


«o5  A  GREAT  MISTAKE, 

children  ought  to  love  Christ,  and  should  now,  at  once,  give 

their  hearts  to  Him  (the  staple  of  Sunday-school  addresses), 
then  why  not  acknowledge  child-piety  where  it  is  apparent  ? 
Why  try  to  lead  the  children  to  Christ,  and  then  shut  the 
door  of  Christ's  Church  against  them  ?  Why  in  our  homes 
and  sanctuaries  entreat  them  with  tears  and  loving  words  to 
be  Christians  now,  and  then  doubtfully  shake  the  head  when 
the  question  comes  of  their  admission  to  the  communion? 
;  "  Many  a  parent  perusing  these  lines  can  remember  how 
a  dear  child  spoke  of  having  found  Jesus.  You  heard  the 
simple  tale  with  tearful  interest,  and  said,  '  I  am  glad  of  it, 
darling.'  You  gave  thanks  for  it  in  the  closet ;  and  felt  un- 
speakable joy  at  seeing  the  new  sweetness  of  temper  in  the 
child,  the  increased  dutifulness,  and  lovingness,  and  prayer- 
fulness. 

"Then  the  child  said,  *  May  I  join  the  Church?'  You 
said,  *  Wait  a  little,  my  dear.'  The  child  submitted  (though 
with  disappointment)  to  your  superior  'udgment. 

"  Months  passed.  Again  the  child  said,  '  What  do  you 
think  about  my  joining  the  Church  now  ?  I  should  like  to 
do  it,  if  you  approve  of  it.'  You  said,  '  You  know  you  are 
very  young ;  hadn't  you  better  wait  a  little  longer  ? '  So  it 
passed  on. 

"  At  length,  years  after  (if  God  did  not  take  the  precious 
one  to  Himself),  the  minister,  upon  exhorting  this  youth  to 
become  pious,  finds  traces  of  existing  godliness.  *  How 
long  have  you  felt  so  ? '  *  Why,  for  years.'  The  pastor 
calls  to  see  you  as  to  the  child's  profession.  You  consent, 
and  the  child  is  taken  into  the  Church.  But,  oh  !  what  a 
loss  has  already  been  experienced !  Darkness  and  doubt 
gathered  upon  the  young  mind,  from  the  fact  that  you 
seemed  to  question  the  reality  of  the  change.  Perplexity 
arose  on  a  thousand  points.  Coldness  ensued,  and  wander- 
ings in  evil  ways  j  until  at  last  in  another  work  of  grace 


LITTLE  MARTHA, 


XOf 


that  poor  thing  again  through  fearful  struggles  came  into  the 
light,  to  regret  till  a  dying  day  that  there  had  not  been 
experienced  during  those  years  the  warm  sympathies  of  the 
Church  instead  of  the  chilling  influences  of  the  world. 

"This  is  by  no  means  an  overdrawn  or  unusual  case. 
There  are  thousands  of  Christians  who  might  have  sat  for 
the  picture.  And,  in  this  light,  how  much  is  the  practice 
under  remark  to  be  deprecated." 

In  my  early  Christian  life  I  witnessed  a  scene  which 
opened  a  full  fountain  of  sympathy  for  the  young  and  the 
tender  lambs  of  the  flock.  Little  Martha,  the  granddaughter 
of  the  officiating  clergyman,  appeared  before  the  proper 
officers  of  the  Church  to  be  examined  for  admission  to  its 
communion.  She  was  examined  thoroughly,  and  the  result 
was  satisfactory.  But  the  officers  said,  "  Martha,  you  are 
very  young,  and  had  better  wait  till  you  are  older  before 
you  make  a  public  profession  of  religion."  She  did  wait 
patiently  for  three  months,  and  then  appeared  again,  telling 
them  the  same  sweet  story  of  Jesus  and  His  love ;  and  yet 
she  was  advised  to  wait.  Again  she  appeared,  hopeful  now, 
but  was  again  disappointed.  And  when  a  whole  year  had 
passed,  and  she  was  again  advised  to  wait,  her  breaking 
heart  sobbed  out,  "  Oh  !  grandpapa,  how  old  must  I  be 
before  I  may  love  Jesus,  and  sit  with  Him  at  His  table  ?  " 
The  old  prejudice  gave  way  ;  she  was  received,  and  became 
an  ornament  and  a  blessing  to  the  Church. 

Whom  Christ  has  received,  however  young,  the  Church 
may  not  reject ;  and  those  who  are  fitted  for  His  Church 
above  are  surely  fitted  for  its  fellowship  here. 

"l   AM   YOUR   OWN   LITTLE   MARY.** 

Dr.  John  Todd,  as  everybody  knows,  loved  chilaren, 
and  most  thoroughly  believed  that  they  should  be  early  led 


to8  "^  AM  YOUR  OWN  MARV:' 

to  Christ  He  was  once  at  work  in  an  inquiry  meeting,  at 
twilight,  in  Pittsfield,  when  he  came  to  a  little  girl,  deeply 
anxious  about  her  soul.  He  talked  and  pra3^ed  with  her,  and, 
as  he  believed,  finally  led  her  to  Christ.  Before  leaving  her, 
he  asked,  "  Whose  little  girl  are  you  ? ''  To  his  astonish- 
ment and  delight,  she  now  for  the  first  time,  turning  hei 
face  to  him  said,  "  Why,  papa,  don't  you  know  me  ?  I  am 
your  own  little  Mary."  Would  not  parents  oftener  be 
blessed  in  leading  their  own  children  to  Christ,  if  they 
would  go  to  work  as  Dr.  Todd  did,  for  the  salvation  of  the 
children  of  others  ?  Dr.  Todd  believed  that  children,  who 
gave  evidence  of  a  change  of  heart,  should  be  treated  as 
Christians,  and  therefore  received  into  the  Church.  He  tells 
a  touching  story  of  the  manner  in  which  one  was  gathered 
into  the  fold  of  the  Great  Shepherd : 

**  Some  months  since  the  Spirit  of  God  touched  her  heart  and  taught 
her  that  she  was  a  lost  sinner.  Sh(»  came  to  talk  with  me  alone  about 
the  salvation  of  her  soul.  It  was  a  time  when  none  of  my  dear  flock 
seemed  to  want  to  be  led  to  the  Great  Shepherd,  and  I  was  surprised  to 
see  her.  A  few  minutes  convinced  me,  as  I  talked  with  her,  that  she 
had  been  taught  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  She  wanted  peace  of  mind, 
vleliverance  from  sin,  and  a  friend  to  stand  by  her  for  ever, 

"  *  Emma,  have  you  learned  that  you  are  a  sinner?* 

<*  *  Yes,  sir ;  I  feel  it  more  and  more  every  day,* 

'*  *  Have  you  asked  for  mercy  yourself?* 

''  *  Yes,  sir,  every  day.' 

"  *  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  habit  of  daily  prayer?' 

**  *  I  have  ahvays  said  my  prayers,  but  I  do  not  think  I  have  really 
prayed  till  about  two  months  ago.' 

***Do  you  know  what  your  easily  besetting  sin  is?  I  mean,  the 
;in  that  gives  you  the  most  trouble  ?  * 

**  *  I  think  I  do,  sir  ;  and  I  try  to  pray  against  it,  and  to  kill  it  1  It 
is  my  temper^  sir  I  But  I  think  I  have  done  somtthing  Xo  over- 
come it,* 

•"You  tell  me,  Emma,  tliat  you  want  to  make  a  profession  o( 
rei igion.     Why  do  you  ? ' 

"  *  Bemuse,  sir,  Clirxst  has  told  ua  to ;  and  because  I  want  to  bo 


•«/  WANT  TO  DO  MY  DUTV:^  109 

among  His  people ;  and  because  I  may  die  early,  and  I  want  to  do  mj 

duty,  as  fully  as  1  can.' 

"The  Saviour  was  set  before  her  as  our  righteousness,  and  her  faith 
and  love  took  hold  of  Kim  with  a  stronp  grasp. 

"On  the  next  occasion  of  celebrating  the  Lord's  Supper,  little  Emma 
came  out  in  the  aisle  of  the  church,  and,  before  the  great  congregation, 
stood  up  to  be  received  into  the  Church.  Her  father  was  dead,  and  her 
mother  was  away,  so  of  all  her  family  she  alone  came.  She  was  small 
m  size,  pale  as  a  lily,  and  when  in  her  simple  white  dress  she  came  to 
be  baptized,  I  could  not  but  say, '  Little  one,  God  is  able  to  make  thee 
stand.'" 

Mrs.  Annie  V/ittenmyer,  author  of  the  well-known 
hymn,  "  I  have  entered  the  valley  of  blessing  so  sweet," 
who  has  done  so  much  for  the  cause  of  Christ  and  tem- 
perance, WTites  me  as  follows:  "I  was  converted  before  I 
was  eight  years  old.  I  was  not  allowed  to  join  the  Church 
till  I  was  thirteen,  but  I  was  just  as  well  prepared  to  join 
at  eight  as  at  thirteen :  better,  for  the  delay  dam.ped  my 
zeal." 

Oh  I  how  many  have  I  heard  give  a  similar  testimony  I 

CHRIST  AND   THE  LITTLE  ONES. 

"The  Master  has  come  over  Jordan," 

Said  Hannah,  the  mother,  one  day; 
*'  He  is  healing  the  people  who  throng  Him, 

With  a  touch  of  His  finger,  they  say  ; 
And  now  I  shall  go  with  the  children. 

Little  Rachel  and  Samuel  and  John  ; 
I  shall  carrj'  the  baby,  Esther, 

For  the  Lord  to  look  upon.'* 

The  father  looked  at  her  kindly, 

Lut  he  shook  his  head  and  smiled  } 
*'  _     rt^,  who  but  a  doating  mother 

Would  think  of  a  thing  so  wild? 
If  ihe  children  were  tortured  Viy  demonSj 

Or  dying  of  fever,  'twere  wed ; 
Or  had  they  the  taint  of  the  leper, 

Like  many  an  Israel ." 


CHRIST  AND  THE  LITTLE  ONES, 

**  Nay,  do  not  hinder  me,  Nathan  | 

I  feel  such  a  burden  of  care ; 
If  I  carry  it  to  the  Master, 

Perhaps  I  shall  leave  it  there. 
If  He  lay  His  hands  on  the  children, 

My  heart  will  he  lighter,  I  know; 
For  a  blessing  for  ever  and  ever 

Will  follow  them  as  they  go." 

So,  over  the  hills  of  Judah, 

Along  by  the  vine-rows  green, 
With  Esther  asleep  on  her  bosom, 

And  Rachel  her  brothers  between  ; 
'Mong  the  people  who  hung  on  His  teaching, 

Or  waited  His  touch  and  His  word, 
Through  the  row  of  proud  Pharisees  listening 

She  pressed  to  the  feet  of  the  Lord. 

**  Now,  why  shouldst  thou  hinder  the  Master/* 

Said  Peter,  "with  children  like  these? 
Seest  not  hov/,  from  morning  till  evening, 

He  teacheth,  and  healeth  disease  ?  " 
Then  Christ  said,  "  Forbid  not  the  childr^l, 

Permit  them  to  come  unto  Me  ! " 
And  He  took  in  His  arms  little  Esther, 

And  Rachel  He  set  on  His  knee  ; 

And  the  heavy  heart  of  the  mother 

Was  lifted  all  earth  care  above, 
As  He  laid  His  hands  on  the  brothers 

And  blest  them  with  tenderest  love  $ 
As  He  said  of  the  babes  in  His  bosom, 

*•  Of  such  are  the  kingdom  of  Heavcaa,^ 
And  strength  for  all  duty  and  trial 

That  hour  to  her  spirit  was  given. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
THE  INFLUENCE   OF  CHILDREN. 

"  A  UTTLE  CHILD  SHALL  LEAD  THEM." 

Isaiah  xi.  6. 


51HERE  are  many  avenues  of  approach  to  the  human 
heart;  but  ofttimes  it  seems  as  if  all  of  these 
were  obstructed,  except  those  through  which  only 
a  child  can  thread  its  way.  It  has  often  been  observed, 
that  those  who  have  resisted  the  power  of  logical  sermons 
and  pathetic  appeals,  have  been  drawn  to  Christ  through  the 
influence  of  some  little  child.  "  God  hath  chosen  the  foolish 
things  of  the  world  [at  least  those  so  regarded  by  men  of 
the  world]  to  co?ifound  the  wise ;  and  God  hath  chosen  the 
weak  things  of  the  world  to  cotifound  the  things  which  are 
mighty ;  .  ,  ,  .  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  His  presence'^ 
(i  Cor.  i.  27,  29). 

It  has  occurred  to  me,  that  this  bock  may  be  used  by 
some  as  a  handbook  for  reference  and  assistance  in  work 
among  children.  I  have  therefore  gathered  the  following 
facts  which  have  come  under  my  obsei-vation,  and  others 
which  I  have  culled  from  reliable  sources.  I  have  seen 
large  audiences  deeply  moved  by  the  recital  of  some  of 
these  touching  incidents. 


XI3  REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCE, 

If  v/e  would  be  encournged  to  labour  enthusiastically 
for  the  conversion  of  children,  we  should  feel  that  there  are 
powerful  motives  to  urge  us  on  in  that  direction. 

The  quickest  way  to  reach  adults  is  often  through  the 
children ;  therefore  it  has  been  found  desirable,  in  com- 
mencing a  series  of  meetings  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  to 
bcgm  with  the  children.  I  am  satisfied  that  many  efforts  in 
this  direction  tail,  because  this  plan  is  not  adopted. 


This  gentleman  and  his  wife,  a  Quakeress,  were  in  a 
very  remarkable  manner  led  to  the  cross,  through  the  in- 
fluence of  their  little  ones  in  Springfield,  Illinois,  in  iS66. 

It  has  been  my  pleasure  to  observe  that  each  member 
of  his  family  has  since  lived  consistently.  The  little  boy 
to  whom  he  refers,  now  a  young  man,  related  in  a  meeting 
in  Washington,  two  years  ago,  the  story  of  the  conversion 
of  the  family. 

The  words  of  Mr.  Diller,  as  they  appear  below,  were 
taken  down  by  a  short-hand  reporter  in  St.  Louis,  at  one  of 
the  Union  Evangelistic  Meetings  held  there  in  1874. 

Mr.  R.  W.  Diller  said  that  he  was  grateful  for  the  work 
now  in  progress  in  St.  Louis. 

"Vv'hen  Mr.  Kammond  came  to  SpringGeld,  I  did  not  believe  in 
him.  My  children  went  to  his  meeting.-,  however.  One  Sunday  afier- 
noon  twenty  men  gathered  in  my  store,  and  we  all  joined  in  slandering 
Mr.  Hammond,  and  said  he  was  a  humbug,  although  none  of  us  had 
heard  him.  My  wife  was  a  Quakeress,  and  did  not  believe  in  revivals  ; 
and  she  was  mad  to  think  that  he  should  have  come  to  our  city.  That 
was  good  enough  cause  for  grumbling  for  us,  and  we  had  a  good  l"me 
traducing  him. 

**  We  concluded  our  children  should  not  go  to  any  such  circus  per- 
formance as  I  supposed  he  gave,  from  the  stories  I  heard  on  the  street. 
That  night  my  little  boy  took  his  Testament  and  went  to  his  room, 
looking  very  serious,  and  did  not  appear  again  until  morning.     The 


POINTING  ME  OUT,  I13 

next  day  my  boy  came  to  me  and  said  :  *  Pa,  why  cannot  we  go  to  the 
meeting  ;  all  the  children  from  the  schools  are  going? ' 

"Well,  I  thought  the  matter  over,  and  concluded  if  other  people's 
children  could  go  there  without  injury,  mine  could  too.  So  I  told  them 
they  could  go.     My  wife  concluded  she'd  go,  just  to  see  what  it  was  like. 

**  Well,  she  got  over  all  her  prejudices  against  revivals,  and  they 
came  home  singing.  One  day  my  wife  said  to  me  :  'Husband,  don't 
thee  believe  the  Bible?'     *  Certainly  I  do,  every  word  of  it,'  I  replied. ' 

*  Well,  don't  thee  think  thee'U  die?'  she  asked.  I  told  her  I  expected 
I  should.  *  Won't  thee  come  to  these  meetings,  and  tiy  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian ?  *  I  thought  I  would  some  time.  *  BUT  WHEN  WILL  THAT  SOME 
TIME  COME  ? '  she  asked. 

**That  got  me.      \Vherever  I  went   it  kept  ringing  in  my  ears, 

*  When  will  that  time  come?'  I  had  been  a  drinking  man,  had 
repeatedly  gone  reeling  home,  and  but  for  liquor  ours  might  have  been 
a  happy  family. 

"  The  next  day  my  wife  wanted  me  to  go  and  hear  ?ilr.  Hammond. 
Finally,  I  told  her  that  if  it  would  be  any  satisfaction  to  her  I  would  go. 
So  I  went  to  hear  him  when  he  preached  in  the  State  House.  When 
the  service  was  over  I  went  across  the  street  to  my  brother-in-law's 
store,  and  told  him  I  had  been  in  to  hear  Hammond.  He  asked  me 
how  I  liked  it.  I  told  him  I  thought  it  was  just  about  as  good  as  any 
other  circus.  He  said  something  else  then,  and  I  was  afraid  he  was 
going  to  talk  religion  to  me,  so  I  left. 

*'  The  next  Sunday  Mr.  Birch  preached  in  the  Third  Baptist  Church, 
and  by  some  providence  of  God  I  went  to  hear  him.  He  frequently 
repeated  *»he  words,  *  He  eateth  with  publicans  and  sinners,'  and  no 
matter  whether  he  pointed  to  this  corner  of  the  church  or  to  that,  I 
thoueht  he  was  pointing  me  out  to  the  congregation  every  time.  I 
went  away  from  the  church  mad,  and  stiid  that  he  need  not  have 
pointed  at  me  all  the  time  ;  that  there  were  forty  other  sinners  in 
the  house  as  bad  as  m.yself.  I  declared  that  Id  never  go  to  hear 
Birch  again.  I  learned  the  next  day,  however,  tliat  he  didn't  know 
I  was  in  his  church  at  all.  The  next  day  Hammond  was  to 
preach  in  the  park.  I  declared  I  would  not  go  ;  I  would  go  and 
see  a  sick  friend.  I  started,  but  almost  before  I  knew  it  I  found 
myself  right  before  the  platform  at  the  open-air  meeting  at  which  five 
thousand  persons  were  present,  and  for  two  hours  I  never  took  my 
eyes  off  the  preacher.  That  night  I  went  to  church  v.dth  my  family. 
When  the  sermon  was  over,  I\Ir.  Hammond  asked  all  the  young  con- 
verts, and  all  who  wanted  to  be  Christians,  to  stand  up.  My  wife  and 
boy  stood  on  one  side  of  me,  and  on  the  other  my  two  little  girls,  while 
I,  ft  poor,  dissipated  wretch,  sat  in  the  midst.     God  kept  whispering, 


114  ^^  VE  NE  W-BORN  SO  ULS, 

*  Stand  up.'  The  d.vil  said,  *  Sit  still ;  there's  one  of  your  oM  friends 
right  over  there,  and  there's  another  ;  they'll  laugh  at  you  if  you  get 
up.'  That  night  I  tossed  and  tumbled  about  and  could  not  sleep.  My 
v/ife  got  up  three  times  and  went  away  alone,  I  knew  to  pray  for  me. 
In  the  morning  she  asked  me  if  I  had  rested  well.  I  told  her  never 
better.    I  knew  it  was  a  lie,  and  so  did  she,  for  I  had  not  slept  a  wink. 

**  That  morning  my  boy  brought  his  Testament  to  me  and  said  : 
•*  Father,  why  can't  we  have  family  prayers  like  they  do  at  Uncle 
Reuben's?'  *0h,  my  boy,'  said  I,  *I  can't  pray.  You  and  your 
mother  may,  if  you  wish.'  I  felt  wretched  ;  I  couldn't  tell  what  was 
the  matter  with  me.  I  thought  I'd  go  to  the  polls  and  electioneer  and 
work  off  my  miserable  feeling. 

**  Strange  to  say,  I  never  thought  of  my  usual  way  of  forgetting  my 
cares,  drowning  them  in  the  bowl  ;  but  I  didn't  get  any  better.  I 
went  around  like  a  wooden  man,  and  everybody  said,  *  What's  the 
matter  with  Diller?  He  isn't  the  same  jovial  fellow  that  he  usually  is  !* 
I  went  home  and  said  to  my  wife,  '  I  can't  stand  this  any  longer  ;  I  want 
you  to  pray  for  me.'  Presently  a  neighbour  came  in,  and  they  both 
prayed  for  me.  But  I  felt  no  better,  and  I  went  to  meeting  that  night 
determined  to  stand  up  for  prayers,  if  it  killed  me. 

*•  I  did  stand  up,  and  soon  after  a  friend  came  and  talked  to  me, 
and  told  me  just  to  believe.  I  told  him  I  didn't  know  how ;  that  I 
didn't  know  what  to  believe. 

**Then  he  related  to  me  several  other  cases  like  my  o'wti,  and 
explained  to  me  how  they  had  trusted  Jesus.  I  saw  it  all  then,  and 
believed  ;  and  just  that  moment  the  burden  of  sin  fell  off  my  shoulders 
and  rolled  away  down  into  the  sea  of  forgetfulness,  just  as  the  burden 
of  Christian  did,  whom  Bunyan  tells  about. 

"The  next  morning  my  little  boy  brought  his  Testament  to  me 
again  (Bibles  didn't  lay  around  our  house  then  as  they  do  now),  and  I 
read  a  few  verses  of  the  14th  chapter  of  John,  and  then  we  knelt  in 
prayer,  an  unbroken  family,  five  NEW-BORN  SOULS  into  the  kingdom 
of  God 

"  I  tell  you,  friends,  that  the  working  Christians  of  Springfield  to- 
day are  the  convsrts  of  that  revival  of  1S66." 

When  he  was  about  to  sit  down,  I  requested  him  to 
relate  his  struggle  to  overcome  his  appetite  for  liquor,  in  the 
hope  that  it  might  be  an  encouragement  to  some  poor 
despairing  soul  to  hope  for  a  victory  over  a  ruling  appetila 

Mr.  Diller  continued : 


FREED  FROM  STRONG  DRINK.  115 

**  One  day  I  passed  a  saloon  and  smelt  the  liquor ;  I  hurried  past 
as  rapidly  as  I  could,  for  I  felt  the  old  appetite  conaing  over  me  again. 
I  went  down  to  my  store.  I  was  attended  with  a  terrible  burning 
thirst ;  I  walked  the  floor  until  the  clerks  began  to  wonder  what  was 
wrong  with  me,  I  went  upstairs  and  prayed,  but  when  I  came  dov/a 
temptation  met  me  again,  for  there  was  the  soda  fountain  and  the 
bottles  of  port  wine  and  liquor, 

**I  couldn't  stand  that.  I  went  back  upstairs,  fell  on  my  face,  and 
in  the  agony  of  despair,  I  cried,  *  O  Lonl^  is  it  Thy  desi^-e  that  1  shozchi 
become  a  dricnkard  again  ^  Is  it  Thy  desire  that  I  should  again  disgrace 
my  wife  and  children  ?  * 

**  I  immediately  felt  better.  I  rose  wp  a  free  m.an ;  free  from  the 
demon  strong  di-ink  that  had  so  long  held  my  despairhig  soul  m  its 
grasp.  My  appetite  for  liquor  was  gone,  and  has  never  returned  to  this 
day." 

WTien  Mr.  Diller  concluded  there  were  few  diy  eyes  in 
the  audience.  His  story  was  told  so  simply  and  so  natu- 
rally that  no  one  could  doubt  the  truth  of  his  words. 

"don't  you  love  him  for  that,  father?" 

One  Sabbath  evening,  the  father  of  tv/o  little  children 
had  placed  one  of  them  on  each  knee,  to  ask  them  what 
they  had  heard  in  the  infant-school  in  that  day.  He  was 
not  a  professor  of  religion,  although  he  had  a  pious  wife. 
The  little  children  began  to  tell  him,  in  their  own  way,  of 
the  beautiful  home  in  heaven  that  Jesus  had  left  because  of 
His  love  to  men.  Looking  full  in  her  father's  face,  the 
little  girl  said,  "  Jesus  must  have  loved  us  very  much  to  do 
that ;  don't  you  love  Him  for  it,  father  ?  "  They  then  went 
on  describing  the  trials  and  sufferings  of  the  Saviour,  and 
she  again  asked  the  question,  "  Don't  you  love  Him  for 
that,  father?  "  and  when  they  spoke  of  His  death  on  the 
cross,  the  little  one  asked  the  third  time,  "Now,  don't  you 
love  Him,  father  ?  " 

The  father  had  to  put  the  children  down,  and  go  out  of 
the  room  to  hide  his  emotion.     He  confessed  to  the  speaker 


it6  A  FATHER  LED  TO  CHRIST  BY  HIS  CHILD, 

aftenvards,  that  he  felt  worse  under  the  artless  questioning 
of  his  little  children,  than  he  ever  felt  under  the  most  power- 
ful preaching  in  his  life.  He  soon  afterwards  united  with 
the  Church  of  God. 

CHILD-INFLUENCE   IN   PRAYER. 

In  the  Fulton  Street  Prayer  Meeting  a  gentleman  gave 
an  interesting  account  of  the  influence  which  a  little  gir) 
exerted  in  leading  her  father  to  Christ. 

He  spoke  as  follows  : 

"  About  two  years  after  she  began  attending  the  school, 
one  Sunday  afternoon  her  father  came  home  earlier  than 
usual.  Having  to  go  upstairs  for  something,  on  reaching 
Mary's  room  he  heard  her  voice  in  earnest  prayer.  *0 
God,  have  mercy  on  my  dear  father  !  Show  him  his  sins. 
Let  him  feel  his  need  of  Jesus  Christ.  May  he  seek  Thy 
mercy,  and  find  peace  through  believing  in  Jesus.'  He 
stood  powerless,  almost  paralyzed.  Quietly  he  turned  and 
came  downstairs,  and  was  overcome  with  a  sense  of  his 
great  guiltiness  before  God.  The  hand  of  God  had  touched 
him ;  the  light  of  heaven  had  beamed  upon  his  dark,  polluted 
soul. 

"  He  sank  down  in  a  chair,  and  said  to  his  wife,  *  I  feel 
very  strange.'  His  wife,  looking  at  him  anxiously,  said, 
*  You  don't  look  well;  what's  the  matter?  Shall  I  send  for 
a  doctor  ?'  *  No,  I'm  not  sick,  but  I  feel  an  awful  weight  on 
my  heart  Isn't  there  a  Bible  in  the  house  ? '  He  sighed 
heavily  when  Mary  spoke  :  *  Father,  I  know  where  there  is 
one  ;  shall  I  fetch  it  ?  '  *  Yes,  child,  do.*  Quickly  svye  was 
in  her  room,  and  brought  the  book,  and  handed  it  to  her 
father.  He  gave  it  to  his  wife,  saying,  *  You  read  j  }  to  too 
wicked.*  Opening  the  book  in  the  middle,  her  eye  fell  on 
the  fifty-first  Psalm,  which  she  read  slowly  and  distinctly, 
«  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  God,  according  to  Thy  loving- 


*^  CAN'T  YOU  PR  A  Y  FOR  ME  f "  1x7 

kindness/  never  fell  upon  ears  more  ready  to  receive  them 
than  was  this  poor  trembling  sinner.  When  the  psalm  was 
finished,  he  said,  *  Can't  you  pray  for  me?'  Blushing  at 
such  an  unexpected  request,  she  said,  *  No,  I  cannot :  I 
have  not  prayed  since  I  was  a  little  girl.*  The  dear  child, 
seeing  her  father's  distress,  said,  *  Father,  shall  I  pray?' 
*  Yes,  child,  if  you  can.'  She  kneeled  down,  her  father  and 
mother  both  fell  on  their  knees,  when  she  poured  out  a  fer- 
vent prayer  for  mercy  and  salvation  for  these  her  parents. 
God  was  in  that  room.  Jesus  was  there.  The  Holy  Spirit 
was  there.  That  father's  heart  was  melted;  so  was  his 
wife's.  Both  wept  together  for  their  sins.  Mary's  face  beamed 
with  joy  that  her  prayers  were  now  answered.  Many  times 
had  she  sought  the  Lord  alone,  and  prayed  for  her  father's 
conversion.     That  day  salvation  came  to  that  house. 

"  While  partaking  of  their  evening  meal,  he  said,  *  I 
should  like  to  go  somewhere  to  church  to-night.'  The  \vife 
answered,  *  I  don't  know  hardly  where  to  go,  but  I'll  go  with 

you.'     Mary  said,  MVon't  you  go  and  hear  Mr.  B ?' 

They  consented.  She  led  them  to  the  sanctuary  where 
was  her  Sunday-school.  The  Gospel  of  Jesus  was  pro- 
claimed, and  the  words  reached  the  heart  of  this  man. 
He  went  home  to  pray.  He  sought  and  obtained  mercy. 
His  wife  became  a  Christian;  all  three  united  with  the 
Church.  Mary  is  now  a  devoted  Sunday-school  teacher, 
endeavouring  to  lead  other  children  to  Christ.  The  in- 
fidel is  a  zealous  Christian,  and  has  written  in  defence  of 
the  faith  he  once  sought  to  destroy." 

THE   GAMBLER   AND    HIS   CHILD. 

In  one  of  our  morning  meetings  in  St.  Louis,  !Mr.  Alli- 
son, an  old  gentleman  of  seventy-three  years  of  age,  arose 
in  the  back  part  of  the  house,  and  related  a  remarkable 
experience : 


fi8  A  DEEP  THRUST, 

He  said  that  he  had  but  recently  been  converted ;  that 
he  had  been  a  gambler  and  a  drunkard ;  that  he  had 
travelled  all  over  the  East  and  North  with  fast  horses ;  that 
he  had  been  a  participant  in  almost  every  kind  of  vice  and 
debauchery ;  "  and  yet,"  said  he  to  the  men  who  were  still 
walking  in  the  paths  he  trod,  "  Christ  saved  me,  and  He 
will  save  you  if  you  ask  Him  to."  The  most  interesting 
part  of  his  story,  however,  was  that  after  a  drunken  spree  he 
hid  his  bottle  of  brandy  in  his  hay-mow,  where  it  was  found 
one  day  by  his  little  boy,  who  brought  it  to  him  and  told 
him  where  he  had  discovered  it,  saying  that  he  supposed 
some  vagabond  had  left  it  there.  "  That  comparison,"  said 
he,  "was  a  sore  thrust,  and  from  that  date  i  sought  an 
interest  in  Christ." 

CHILDREN  AT  WORK   FOR   CHRIST, 

Little  children,  who  do  not  find  it  necessary  to  offer  the 
prayer  of  backsliding  Christians,  **  Restore  unto  me  the 
JOY  OF  Thy  salvation"  (Ps.  li.  12),  are  often  the  best 
workers  in  inquiry  meetings.  To  ilkistiate  this,  I  quote  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Foot's  words  spoken  in  St.  Louis. 

He  said  that  one  evening  he  conversed  with  two  little 
girls  in  Dr.  I.inn's  church,  and  stated  that  they  found 
the  Saviour  that  same  night.  "  On  the  following  evening  I 
was  sitting  near  the  pulpit  when  they  came  up  to  me  lead- 
ing two  of  their  friends,  saying :  *  You  can  talk  to  them 
better  than  we  can.*  They  then  went  out  into  the  audience 
and  found  others,  and  brought  them  to  me,  and  during  the 
evening  they  brought  to  me  no  less  Hum  forty  anxious 
inquirers.  They  were  very  industrious  and  earnest,  and  I 
called  them  my  little  messengers." 

In  t86S,  I  heard  Mr.  Moody  relate,  in  the  Aldersgate 
Street  Prayer  Meeting,  London,  the  following  touching 
incident  of 


FAITH,  119 


Mr.  Moody  said  he  had  in  his  Sabbath-school  in  Chicago 
a  little  girl  of  seven  years  old,  who  had  given  as  striking  an 
example  of  faith  as  he  had  ever  heard  of. 

The  child's  father  was  in  the  army,  and  some  years  ago 
the  news  came  to  the  mother  that  he  was  shot  She  was 
left  with  two  little  children.  A  day  or  two  afterwards,  the 
landlord  came  to  ask  for  his  rent.  The  poor  woman  told 
him  she  had  no  money,  and  m.ore  than  that,  could  not 
tell  where  to  get  any,  as  she  had  nothing  but  what  she 
earned  by  her  needle,  and  the  cold  weather  was  coming. 
The  landlord  left  the  house  with  an  oath,  declaring  that  she 
must  go,  as  he  could  have  no  lodgers  but  those  who  paid 
the  rent  regularly.  As  soon  as  he  was  gone,  the  poor 
mother  threw  herself  into  a  chair  and  began  to  weep.  The 
youngest  of  the  two  children,  about  four  years  old,  ran  to 
her  side  and  said, 

"  Don't  God  give  us  everything  we  ask  for?" 

**  Yes,  if  we  ask  in  faith,  and  it's  for  our  good.** 

"  Well,  isn't  it  for  our  good  to  have  a  house  to  live  in  ?" 

"  I  suppose  it  is,"  said  the  mother,  hesitatingly. 

"  Then,  mayn't  I  go  and  ask  Him  ?" 

"  Yes,  you  may,  if  you  want  to." 

The  little  girl  went  into  the  adjoining  room  and  knelt 
down,  and  the  mother  heard  her  pray  as  follows : — 

"  O  God,  you  have  come  and  taken  away  my  father ; 
and  mother's  got  no  money  to  pay  the  landlord  the  rent, 
and  he  will  turn  us  out  of  doors,  and  we  shall  sit  on  the 
doorstep  and  catch  cold  and  die.  Won't  you,  please,  lend 
us  a  little  house  to  live  in  ?"  She  paused,  and  said,  "  Please, 
God  ! "  Then,  coming  out  to  her  mother,  she  said,  "  Don't 
weep  any  more,  mother;  God  will  take  care  of  us.'* 

The  prayer  was  answered.     Christian  friends,  hearing  of 


120  CARRIE  AND  HER  FA  TIIER. 

the  death  of  the  husband,  sent  her  means,  and  paid  hei 
rent  from  that  time  to  this.  Some  time  after  the  relief  had 
been  given,  the  mother  related  the  foregoing  facts  with  tears 
in  her  eyes. 

While  in  Nashua,  N.  H.,  two  years  ago,  a  lady  wrote  me 
the  following  letter,  giving  an  interesting  account  of  how 
her  httle  sister,  only  six  years  of  age,  was  used  by  God's 
Spirit  to  lead  her  prayerless  father  to  Christ : 

CARRIE. 

She  wrote  :  "  Twelve  years  ago,  when  you  were  holding 
meetings  in  Lewiston,  Maine,  my  little  sister,  six  years  of 
age,  used  to  attend  them.  I  think  it  v/as  on  the  third  day 
of  the  n  eetings  you  closed  your  address  as  follows  :  *  If 
there  are  any  little  boys  or  girls  present  whose  papa  or 
mamma  does  not  pray  with  them,  if  they  will  come  to  me  I 
will  give  them  a  little  book  for  their  parents  to  read.*  My 
Utile  sister  immediately  started  up  the  aisle  after  a  book  for 
her  papa.  You  gave  her  one,  telling  her  to  ask  her  papa 
to  read  it  to  her,  and  while  he  was  reading  she  must  pray, 
and  after  that  sing  the  beautiful  hymn,  *  Just  as  I  am,'  which 
was  printed  with  the  book. 

"When  father  came  home  to  dinner,  Carrie  ran  to 
him  with  the  little  book,  and  coaxed  him  to  go  out  in 
the  garden  and  read  it  to  her.  During  the  reading  her 
little  hps  kept  repeating,  *  Our  Father,  who  art  in 
heaven.  Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven;'  for  she  said, 
'Jesus'  told  her,  when  you  gave  her  the  book,  to  do  so. 
That  evening  father  stayed  at  home  with  her  as  usual,  wliile 
mother  was  at  the  meeting.  The  next  evening  mother 
invited  him  to  go  with  her,  but  he  refused.  He  was  a 
prominent  business  man,  and  his  high  morality  was  well 
known.  Soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  exercises, 
mother  was  surprised  and  delighted  to  see  father  entering 


A  ZEALOUS   WORKER,  ICX 

the  pew  and  taking  his  seat  beside  her.  After  the  meeting 
the  Christians  went  downstairs  by  themselves  to  leave  room 
for  the  others.  You  invited  any  and  all  who  wished,  to 
speak  for  Jesus.  The  first  to  speak  v/as  my  father.  Mother 
was  called  upstairs  to  hear  him  testify  to  the  love  of  Jesus. 
All  were  surprised,  for  it  was  well  known  that  he  never 
spoke  in  public.  Throughout  the  remainder  of  the  meetings 
he  worked  zealously.  He  always  loved  to  say,  ^A  liitle 
child  shall  lead  them:  " 

A  MOTHER   LED  TO   CHRIST  BY  HER  LITTLE  BOY. 

At  one  of  the  Children's  ^Meetings  in  Washington,  in 
Dr.  Rankin's  church,  sat  a  young  mother  and  her  boy. 
Dr.  Rankin,  who  had  laboured  most  earnestly  in  all  the 
meetings,  and  who  has  the  strongest  faith  in  the  conversion 
of  children,  approached  the  two,  and  addressed  himself  first 
to  the  mother  with  no  effect.  He  then  turned  to  the  Uttle 
boy,  and  soon  found  that  his  heart  had  already  been 
touched  with  a  view  of  Jesus  on  the  cross  "lifted  up  for 
him,"  and  very  soon  the  little  fellow  was  weeping  for  his 
sins.  He  prayed  with  him,  and  the  boy  prayed  for  himself, 
and  finally  looked  to  Jesus  and  beheved  on  Him  as  the 
Saviour  of  little  children.  It  has  since  been  evident  that 
he  was  truly  converted  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  uncon- 
verted mother  sat  looking  upon  all  this  with  much  dis- 
pleasure. Finally,  she  expressed  her  belief  that  the  boy 
was  too  young  to  understand  such  difficult  problems.  But, 
said  Dr.  R.  to  her,  "  You  need  not  shake  your  head ;  this 
boy  knows  more  than  you  do  on  this  subject." 

On  the  way  home  the  little  fellow  seemed  very  much 
interested  in  his  mother's  salvation,  and  said,  "Mamma, 
what  did  Dr.  Rankin  say  to  you  ! "  She  avoided  giving  an 
answer;  and  he  added,  "Did  you  not  give  yourself  up  to 
Jesus,  who  died  for  us?     I  did,  and  oh,  it's  so  easy, 


zsa  Jl  CHILD  'S  WORDS  BLESSED. 

mamma.  Won't  you  come  to  Him  too?  I  know  He'll 
receive  you,  and  v/e  shall  all  be  so  happy  ?  "  The  mother's 
heart  was  deeply  moved,  but  she  did  not  promise  she  would 
become  a  Christian.  That  night,  after  he  had  retired,  he 
called  his  mother  to  his  bedside  and  said,  *'  The  devil  has 
been  here,  and  tempted  me  to  curse  God."  He  then  arose, 
knelt  down  and  prayed  to  God  to  forgive  him  and  help  him 
to  resist  the  devil. 

The  boy  v/ould  not  rest  until  his  mother  promised  to  go 
back  to  the  meeting  with  him  the  next  evening.  She  vrent, 
and  was  glad  enough  to  have  Dr.  Rankin  talk  with  her  as 
he  had  with  her  little  boy,  and  now  she  and  another  of  her 
children  are  rejoicing  in  Jesus.  Her  husband  was  also 
drawn  to  the  meetings.  Every  evening  this  mother  and 
both  of  her  little  boys  might  be  seen  at  the  church,  talking 
and  praying  with  anxious  souls. 

One  evening  a  converted  infidel  stated,  in  relating  his 
experience,  that  it  was  the  sight  of  his  little  children  amongst 
the  young  converts  that  first  made  an  impression  upon  him, 
and  led  him  to  realize  that  after  all  the  Gospel  was  so  simple 
that  children  could  understand  it,  and  that  if  he  would  ever 
be  converted  he  must  humble  himself  and  become  like 
them.     He  is  now  an  earnest  worker  in  Washington. 

A  minister  from  Scodand  came  upon  the  platform,  and 
stated  that  he  was  led  to  Christ  v/hen  a  little  boy  at  some 
Children's  Meetings  the  Lord  permitted  me  to  hold  sixteen 
years  ago  in  that  country.  He  said  he  knew  of  several 
children  who  were  converted  in  the  same  meetings  who  are 

now  MINISTERS   OF  THE   GoSPEL. 

May  the  Lord  help  every  Christian  reader,  and  especially 
every  Sunday-school  teacher,  to  labour  most  earnestly  for 
the  immediate  salvation  of  the  little  ones  who  are  now  under 
their  influence,  and  then  perchance  in  years  to  come,  their 
hearts  will  be  cheered  by  mccli.ig   those  in   the  Gospel 


PO  WER  OF  PR  A  YER,  123 

ministry  whom  they  were  permitted  to  lead  to  Him  who  has 
said :  "  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  'Mq." 


PRAYING   CrULDKLN. 

In  a  town  in  Western  New  York,  two  little  sisteis  with 
their  little  brother  were  returning  from  an  afternoon  Child- 
ren's Meeting,  and  one  of  them  said, 

"  I  wish  we  could  get  father  to  /,■)  to  the  meeting  for 
groitni-vp  people  to-night." 

*•  How  can  we  do  it?" 

"  I'll  tell  you,"  said  the  little  boy ;  "  we'll  all  pray  for 
him." 

*'  But  where  can  we  get  a  good  place  to  pray  for  him?" 

'*  Why,  you  go  into  the  parlour,  where  father  hardly  ever 
goes,  and  I  will  go  off  out  to  the  barn,"  said  the  little  boy. 

So  into  the  parlour  the  two  girls  went,  and  knelt  down 
and  began  to  pray.  While  they  were  pleading  most 
earnestly,  the  father,  who  was  a  farmer,  came  in  from  the 
field,  and  instead  of  going  round  the  back-way,  started  to 
pass  right  through  the  parlour ;  but  as  he  opened  the  door 
quietly  they  did  not  hear  him.  Ke  listened  a  minute,  and 
felt  he  could  not  go  through  that  room.  Away  he  went 
to  the  barn,  and  there,  too,  up  on  the  hay-mow,  he  heard  his 
boy's  voice  in  pleading  prayer.  As  the  little  fellow  slid 
down  from  the  mov/,  his  father  put  his  hands  upon  his 
head,  and  with  tears  said,  "  Oh,  pray  for  me  !  I  will  go 
TO  THE  MEETING."  And  SO  he  did;  and,  what  is  better 
still,  I  think  he  came  to  Jesus. 

PAPA,    HOW   OLD  ARE  YOU? 

In  Harrisburg  two  years  ago  many  children  and  youths 
were  led  to  Jesus.  Among  them  was  a  little  boy,  son  of  a 
gentleman  of  high  literary  standing. 


X24  "PAPA.  HOW  OLD  ARE  YOU f" 

In  his  study  he  said  to  me,  "  I  was  sitting  here  by  the 
fire  yesterday  afternoon,  when  my  Httle  boy  came  in  from 
the  Children's  Meeting.  He  sat  quietly  looking  at  the  fire 
for  awhile,  as  if  something  important  was  upon  his  mind. 
He  then  began  to  twist  and  shrug  his  shoulders,  as  if  he 
had  something  difficult  to  express.  Then,  looking  up,  he 
said : 

"  *  Papa,  how  old  are  you  ? ' — *  Fifty-six,  my  son  ?  * 
I       "*How  old  Y/as  grandpa  when  he  died?* — *  Sixty,  I 
believe.' 

"  *  Well,  papa,  are  you  a  Christian  ?  * — *  I  don't  think  I 
am,  my  son.* 

"  *  Hadn't  you  better  become  one  now,  my  dear  father  ? 
You  haven't  much  time  to  wait  before  you  will  be  as  old  as 
grandpa  was  when  he  diedJ 

"  I  gave  myself  up  to  Jesus,  and  He  made  me  a  happy 
Christian." 

"  The  little  fellow,"  he  added,  "  came  close  up  to  rae, 
and  begged  me  to  love  Jesus.  /  have  heard  sermons  all  my 
life^  but  never  such  a  powerful  one  as  front  my  little  boy^  sitting 
here  by  the  fij-e yesterday  afternoon." 

Children's  prayers  are  always  short  and  to  the  point 
They  do  not  ask  God,  as  grown  people  do  sometimes,  to 
give  them  what  they  can  get  themselves.  At  the  close  of  a 
long  prayer  by  a  father  who  had  prayed  for  a  poor  family, 
his  son  said,  "  Father,  if  I  had  as  much  wheat  in  the  bain 
as  you  have,  I  would  answer  that  prayer  my  self  ^^ 


Eleven  years  ago,  in  a  city  in  Illinois,  a  little  child  came 
to  my  meeting  just  because  the  others  came,  but  with  no 
thought  of  being  a  Christian.  But  Christians  had  been 
praying  earnestly  that  all  the  children  present  might  be  led 


FATHER  AND  MOTHER  CONVERTED,  1-33 

to  see  their  lost  condition,  and  that  Jesus  had  loved  them 
and  given  Himself  for  them. 

When  this  child  went  home  she  had  found  the  Saviour, 
and  her  father  and  mother  were  very  much  astonished  at 
her  words  and  manner.  They  thought  she  was  too  much 
**  excited,"  and  determined  not  to  let  her  attend  any  more 
such  meetings.  But  she  cried  bitterly,  and  begged  to  go  to 
the  next  meeting,  that  she  might  hear  more  about  tlic 
Saviour, 

Finally,  the  father  said  to  the  mother, 

"  You  had  better  go  with  her,  and  if  the  meetings  are 
very  had  we  '11  not  let  her  attend  another  one." 

But,  while  at  the  m.eeting,  the  mother  found  her  heart 
turning  in  love  towards  the  precious  Saviour.  When  she 
found  how  much  He  loved  her  and  had  done  for  her,  she 
could  reject  Him  no  longer,  and  so  she  yielded  herself  up 
entirely  to  Him,  and  God,  for  Jesus'  sake,  forgave  her  all 
her  sins  and  filled  her  soul  with  peace  and  joy ;  and  she, 
too,  went  home  as  much  "  excited  "  as  her  child  had  been. 
Her  ungodly  husband  was  astonished  when  she  said  to 
him, 

"  You  had  hefter  go  yourself  to  the  next  7?ieeting,  for  there 
is  nothing  at  all  had  ahoiit  them.''^ 

He  was  thus  drawn  to  attend  the  house  of  God,  where 
he  had  seldom  been  before.  God  met  him  v,dth  His  Spirit, 
and  showed  him  what  a  great  sinner  he  had  been.  He  felt 
,  at  first  that  he  was  too  great  a  sinner  to  be  saved.  For  a 
long  time  he  could  not  see  how  God  could  be  just  and  yet 
forgive  him ;  but  v/hen  he  heard  how  Christ  had  died,  "the 
Just  for  the  unjust,  that  He  mighi  bring  us  to  God,"  he 
bowed  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  cried,  "God  be  merciful 
to  me  a  sinner,  for  Jesus'  sake." 

His  prayer  was  answered,  and  he,  too,  went  home 
"excited."    Yes,  he  was  so  much  "excited"  that  he  at 


ia6  A  BOY'S  PRAYER  MOVES  HARD  HEARTS. 

o!ice  resolved  to  give  up  making  whisky.  He  had  for  a 
long  time  been  a  distiller  of  that  which  leac's  so  many  down 
to  a  drunkard's  grave.  But  God  showed  hiii:  his  ?ins,  and 
he  resolved  never  to  distil  another  drop  of  liquor,  for  nc  felt 
that  by  so  doing  he  was  adding  to  the  long  train  of  sixty 
thousand  who  fall  into  the  drunkard's  grave  every  year  in 
the  United  States. 

A  hoy's  prayer  moves  hard  hearts. 

A  New  York  daily  newspaper  gives  the  following  account 
of  an  occurrence  of  a  ver}-  affecting  character,  which  took 
place  on  an  English  steamer,,: 

*•  A  little  ragged  boy,  aged  nine  years,  was  discovered 
on  the  fourth  day  of  the  outward  voyage  from  Liverpool  to 
New  York,  and  carried  before  the  first  mate,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  deal  with  such  cases. 

**  When  questioned  as  to  the  object  of  his  being  stowed 
away,  and  who  brought  him  on  board,  the  boy,  who  had  a 
beautiful,  sunny  face,  and  eyes  thc^  looked  like  the  very 
mirrors  of  truth,  replied  that  his  steptutlicr  did  it,  because 
he  could  not  afford  to  keep  him,  nor  to  pay  his  passage  out 
to  Halifax,  where  he  had  an  aunt  who  was  well  off,  and  to 
whose  house  he  was  going.  The  mate  did  not  believe  the 
story,  in  spite  of  the  winning  face  and  truthful  accents  of 
the  boy.  He  had  seen  too  much  of  stowaways  to  be  easily 
deceived  by  them,  he  said  ;  and  it  was  his  firm  conviction 
that  the  boy  had  been  brought  on  board  and  provided  with 
food  by  the  sailors.  The  little  fellow  was  very  roughly 
handled  in  consequence.  Day  by  day  he  was  questioned 
and  requestioned,  but  always  with  the  same  result.  He 
did  not  know  a  sailor  on  board,  and  his  father  alone  had 
secreted  him  and  given  him  the  food  which  he  ate. 

*'  At  last  the  mate,  wearied  by  the  boy's  persiiitency  in 


TO  BE  HANGED  IN  TEN  MINUTES.  xvf 

the  same  story,  and  perhaps  a  little  anxious  to  inculpate  the 
sailors,  seized  him  one  day  by  the  collar,  and  dragging  him 
to  the  fore  hatch,  told  him  that  unless  he  confessed  the 
truth,  in  ten  minutes  from  that  time  he  would  hang  him  on 
the  yardarm.  He  then  made  him  sit  down  under  it  on 
the  deck.  All  around  him  were  passengers  and  the  sailors 
of  the  midday  watch,  and  in  front  of  him  stood  the  inexor- 
able mate,  with  his  chronometer  in  his  hand,  and  the  other 
officers  of  the  ship  by  his  side.  It  was  the  finest  sight,  said 
our  informant,  that  we  ever  beheld,  to  see  the  pale,  proud, 
sorrowful  face  of  that  noble  boy,  his  head  erect,  his 
beautiful  eyes  bright  through  the  tears  that  had  fled.  The 
mate  had  told  him  he  had  but  two  minutes,  and  advised 
him  to  speak  the  truth  and  save  his  life ;  but  he  replied, 
with  the  utmost  simplicity  and  sincerity,  by  asking  the  mate 
it  he  might  pray. 

"The  mate  said  nothing,  but  nodded  his  head.  All 
eyes  turned  on  him,  this  brave  and  noble  fellow,  this  poor 
waif  whom  society  owned  not,  and  whose  owti  stepfather 
could  not  care  for ;  there  he  knelt  with  clasped  hands  and 
eyes  upraised,  while  he  prayed  the  dear  Lord  Jesus  to  take 
him  to  heaven. 

"  Sobs  broke  from  strong  hard  hearts,  as  the  mate  sprang 
orward  to  the  boy  and  clasped  him  to  his  bosom,  and  kissed 
him  and  blessed  him,  and  told  him  how  sincerely  he  now 
believed  his  story,  and  how  glad  he  was  that  he  had  been 
brave  enough  to  face  death  and  be  willing  to  sacrifice  his 
life  for  the  truth  of  his  own  word." 

THE   CHILD  AND   THE   INFIDEL, 

A  speaker  in  the  Fulton  Street  Prayer  Meeting  said  that 
he  went  from  a  Brooklyn  mission-school  to  a  far-off  home  in 
Missouri.  He  went  with  several  boys,  who  were  placed 
in  good  Christian  families.     When  one  of  them,  named 


128  THE  CHILD  AND  THE  INFIDEL. 

Tommy,  left  the  mission-school  in  Brooklyn,  it  was  peculiarly 
hard  to  part  with  him,  for  he  was  a  good  boy.  Tommy 
shed  many  bitter  tears  at  the  thought  of  going  so  far  away. 
There  God  had  met  him  in  mercy,  and  had  given  him  a 
new  heart,  and  instilled  into  it  an  earnest  desire  for  the 
salvation  of  others.  Living  in  the  same  town  v/as  an 
old  GREY-HEADED  INFIDEL.  He  had  been  many  years  in  the 
place,  and  had  grown  up  with  it.  He  v.-as  a  man  who  never 
went  to  church,  and  paid  no  heed  to  religious  things  wliat- 
cver. 

When  this  little  boy,  who  was  only  tvrelve  years  old, 
became  a  Christian,  he  felt  very  anxious  for  the  salvation  of 
this  poor  old  infidel.  So  he  went  to  him  and  asked  him  to 
go  to  meeting  with  him.  "  No,  no,"  said  the  old  man,  "  I 
have  not  been  inside  a  church  for  tvventy  years,  and  I  do  not 
wish  to  go."  "  Oh,  come  with  me,"  said  the  young  disciple, 
'  come  with  me.  It  will  do  you  no  harm,  and  it  may  do  you 
some  good."  "  No,  no,"  the  infidel  replied,  "  you  do  not 
catch  me  going  there.  I  know  better.  I  am  not  going  to 
begin  now,  after  staying  away  from  church  for  twenty  years. 
No,  no,  you  don't  catch  old  birds  with  chaff." 

The  boy  began  to  shed  tears.  He  could  not  help  it. 
The  old  man,  seeing  this,  said  that  he  thought  he  would  go 
just  to  please  his  little  friend,  for  he  did  not  know  when  any 
one  had  manifested  such  anxiety  for  him.  The  next  night 
Tommy  went  for  the  old  man  again,  and  with  some  per- 
suasion he  got  him  to  go  a  second  time.  That  night  the 
old  man  got  an  arrow  in  his  heart.  The  third  night  there 
was  no  trouble  in  getting  the  infidel  to  go  to  the  meeting. 
The  fourth  night  he  went  of  his  own  accord.  That  old 
infidel  was  awakened,  convicted,  and  converted ;  and  he 
often  now,  in  the  prayer  meetings,  speaks  of  his  experience, 
and  says,  "  What  would  have  become  of  me  if  it  had  not 
been  for  Tommy's  tears  and  entreaties  ?  "    Thus  the  poor 


••  WB Y  DON 'T  YOU  LOVE  JES US f "  la^ 

tnission-school  boy  has  begun  to  be  a  real  missionary,  and 
has  been  enabled,  by  God's  grace  assisting,  to  win  over  the 
stouL-hearted  infidel  to  the  cause  of  Christ. 

INFIDEL  AND   CHILD   IN   ST.    LOUIS. 

My  attention  was  often  called,  in  the  inquiry  meetings 
which  followed  the  morning  prayer  meetings  in  St.  Louis,  tc 
an  infidel  lawyer,  who  seemed  to  delight  to  engage  and 
perplex  the  Christians  who  were  seeking  to  lead  others 
to  Christ.  I  was  asked  to  contrive  some  way,  if  possible, 
to  reach  him.  It  seemed  worse  than  useless  to  argue  with 
him. 

One  day,  I  found  in  different  parts  of  the  building,  six 
converts  who  had  been  noted  infidels.  I  asked  each  of 
them  to  gather  around  this  young  la^\7er,  and  told  them  I 
should  be  there,  and  ask  them  to  relate  their  experience. 

After  awhile  I  approached  one  of  them,  and  inquired,  in 
the  presence  of  the  scoffer,  "  Are  you  a  Christian  ?  "  This 
question  brought  out  successively  the  experience  of  the  con- 
verted infidels,  but,  to  my  astonishment  it  seemed  to  have 
no  effect  on  the  infidel  la\\7er. 

A  {q.\n  weeks  after,  when  the  Children's  Meetings  were 
held  in  Rev.  Dr.  Foot's  church,  the  lavvyer's  daughter,  about 
six  years  old,  was  present,  and  after  a  day  or  two  was  led, 
as  she  believed,  to  trust  in  Jesus.  Returning  home  from 
the  meeting,  she  asked  : 

"  Fapa^  why  don^t  you  lov2  Jesus  ?  He  was  so  kind  to  die 
for  us,  how  can  you  help  loving  Him  7  He  bled  and  died  on 
Ihe  cross  for  you  and  me.  If  you  will  only  come  to  Him, 
He  will  make  you  happy  too." 

Thus  with  great  tenderness  she  pleaded  with  him  to 
come  to  Christ.  When  she  was  about  to  retire,  she  begged 
her  father,  who  was  in  the  room,  to  let  her  kneel  down  and 
pray  with  him.    This  was  too  much  for  his  proud  heart    liii 

9 


130 


NOBLE  PRENTISS^ 


little  daughter's  words  were  more    potent    than    all   tha 
arguments  or  sermons  he  had  ever  heard. 

Not  long  after,  he  related,  in  Dr.  Burlingham's  church, 
the  story  of  his  conversion.  Many  hearts  were  melted.  He, 
with  about  seventy  others,  went  with  me  to  JcOerson  City, 
the  capital  of  the  state,  and  held  a  meeting  in  the  senate 
chamber.  There  he  related  his  experience  in  a  most  powerful 
and  touching  manner,  telling  how  his  little  daughter 
had  been  used  by  God  in  leading  him,  a  sceptical  infidel,  to 
Christ. 

NOBLE   PRENTISS   AND   THE   LITTLE   CRIPPLE. 

In  Lawrence,  Kansas,  Mr.  Noble  Prentiss  attended  the 
union  meetings  for  the  purpose  of  reporting  them  for  a 
paper  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  editors.  He  listened 
attentively  to  the  sermons,  and  wrote  excellent  reports  of  the 
meetings,  but  was  entirely  unmoved  himself. 

One  day  as  he  was  passing  out  of  the  church  during  the 
inquiry  meeting,  a  beautiful  little  crippled  child,  with  large 
black  eyes,  lifted  up  her  finger,  as  she  stood  exactly  in  front 
of  him,  and  said,  "  Mr.  FrentisSf  woji^t  yozi  come  to  Jesus  and 
he  a  Christian  2  "  He  tried  to  evade  her  question  and  pass 
on.  But  still  she  hedged  up  his  way,  and  with  tearful  eyes 
pressed  him  with  questions,  still  more  pointed.  At  last  he 
was  almost  forced  to  promise  ner  that  /le  luouldbe  a  Christian, 
That  promise  was  faithfully  kept.  Mr.  Prentiss  not  only 
became  a  Christian,  but  a  most  active  one.  He  was  a  man 
of  fine  ability,  well  known  in  all  the  region,  able  at  once 
to  command  the  attention  of  any  audience,  but  he  had  been 
sadly  addicted  to  strong  drink.  After  this  great  change,  he 
went  from  town  to  town  and  city  to  city,  addressing  large 
numbers.  I  have  no  doubt  that  many  by  his  earnest  words 
were  led  to  Christ. 

God  grant  that  the  facts  related  in  this  chapter  may  be 


CHILDREN'S  INFLUENCE, 


X3I 


the  means  of  leading  its  readers  to  realize  the  great 
INFLUENCE  ^V\z\i  converted  children  may  exercise  in  winning 
souls  to  Christ.  And  may  this  truth,  brought  home  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  act  as  a  powerful  stimulus  to  induce  our 
readers  to  labour  more  earnestly  in  the  Sabbath-school,  by 
the  fireside,  and  everywhere,  for  the  immediate  sai, 

VATION  OF  THE  CHILDREN. 


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CHAPTER  VIII. 

TEST/MONIES  ABOUT  THE  WORK,  AND  FROM  CHIL- 
DREN THEMSELVES. 

"OUT  OP  THE  MOUTH  OP  BABES  AND  SUCKLINGS  THOU  HAST  ORDAINED 

strength"  (or,  as  Prof.  Tholuck  translates  it,  "prepared  thyself 
AN  army  ").  Psalm  viii.  2. 


HEN  a  la^^yer  has  a  cause  to  plead  in  court,  he  is 
anxious  to  secure  competent  witnesses.  He  well 
knows  that  if  the  truth  is  on  his  side,  and  that  if 
his  witnesses  are  unimpeachable  and  clear  in  their  testi- 
mony, he  has  every  reason  to  expect  the  jury  will  decide  in 
his  favour. 

I  once  heard  an  eminent  lawyer  say  he  gained  his  case 
solely  through  the  testimony  of  a  little  boy  not  ten  years 
old. 

We  have  asserted  in  these  chapters  our  belief  in  the 
conversion  of  children.  We  shall  therefore  call  before  us, 
among  other  witnesses,  children  who  testify  that  they  have 
experienced  the  grace  of  God  in  their  hearts. 

This  chapter  will  no  doubt  be  passed  over  by  some  of 
our  readers,  while  others,  who  have  had  opportunities  of 
more  intimate  acquaintance  v/ith  the  young,  will  read  its 
various  testimonies  with  the  deepest  interest. 

The  Lltters  fro:.i  Children,  which  it  contains,  have 


CHILDREN'S  LETTERS.  133 

been  selected  from  numerous  packages  of  such  letters,  care- 
fully filed  away,  some  of  them  in  years  gone  by.  We  have 
endeavoured  to  choose  only  those  from  children  under 
twelve  or  thirteen  years  of  age. 

It  has  been  stated,  that  George  Wliitefield,  after  one  of 
his  field  days  in  London,  when  he  had  been  preaching  to 
fifteen  thousand  people,  received  one  thousand  letters  from 
those  whose  hearts  had  been  that  day  touched. 

An  appointment  had  been  given  out  that  he  would 
preach  the  next  evening  in  his  tabernacle ;  but  instead  of 
delivering  a  sermon,  he  drew  from  his  pocket  letters  v/hich 
he  had  received  from  anxious  inquirers  and  young  converts, 
making  remarks  upon  them  which  deeply  interested  the 
audience. 

No  doubt  some  expressed  disappointment  in  not  having 
heard  a  sermon  from  the  fam.ous  preacher,  but  ]\Ir.  White- 
field  well  knew  the  power  of  these  simple  experiences  and 
heartfelt  utterances.  I  mention  this  to  show  how  natural  it 
is  for  new-born  souls  to  say  with  David,  "  Come  and  hear, 
all  ye  that  fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what  He  hath  done 
for  my  soul"  (Ps.  Ixvi.  16),  Many  who  are  not  moved  in 
the  least  by  a  logical  sermon,  are  often  powerfully  wrought 
upon  by  the  narration  of  an  experience.  Dr.  Taylor,  of 
New  Haven,  once  said  to  his  friend.  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher, 
"  We  need  more  experimental  preaching." 

In  a  former  chapter  we  referred  to  the  Hon.  and  Rev. 
Bap  list  Noel,  of  London.  We  now  quote  from  a  sermon 
which  he  preached  during  the  union  services  in  that  city : 

*'  The  Lord  Jesus  has  declared  His  purpose  v/as,  and  is, 
to  draw  all  men  to  Kim,  and  therefore  He  has  been  doing 
that  during  t\vo  thousand  years.  No  one  can  say  how  niany 
He  has  drawn  to  Himself  who  are  now  living  in  glory.  That 
is  His  work  still,  and,  unless  we  are  greatly  mistaken.  He  has 
brought  a  number  of  children  to  believe  and  be  blessed  in 


'34 


"BRING  THEM  TO  JESUS. 


Him  during  the  past  week.  *  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the 
earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  Me.'  Of  course,  that  doe^  not 
exclude  children ;  children  are  a  part  of  the  *  all.*  It  is  not 
surprising  that  He  should  call  children  to  Himself  as  soon 
as  they  are  able  to  sin,  and  that  is  very  young.  They  can 
understand  what  it  is  to  have  a  Saviour  from  sin  as  soon  as 
they  know  what  sin  is,  and  that  another  can  bear  their 
punishment." 

The  following  lines  were  written  by  a  lady  who  was 
deeply  interested  in  the  Children's  Meetings  in  Rev.  Baptist 
Noel's  church : 


"  Oh,  bring  me  many,  many 
S  weet  flowers  for  Jesus'brow, 
Blossoms  and  buds  and  gar- 
lands, 
Breatiiing  glad  beauty  now. 

••  Oh,  bring  them  all  for  Jesus, 
Ye  children,  come  to  Him. 
Loving  the  blessed  Savlonv, 
Who  suffered  for  your  sin. 

"  Oh,  flock  to  Him  in  numbers 
Who  bids  the  children  come, 
Watching  so  kindly  o'er  you, 
He  '11  safely  guide  you  home. 

**  Oh,  come  then  now  to  Jesus, 
Whose  heart  with  love  o'er- 
flows, 
And  early  twine  your  beauty 
Around      sweet     Sharon's 
Rose, 

**  For  He  is — oh  so  loving — 
Among  ten  thousand  chief, 
Kinder  than  any  brother 
In  every  care  and  grie^ 


**  Oh,  now  your  voices  loudly 
In  hallelujahs  raise ; 
Hundreds  of  little  children 
Unite  to  sing  His  praise, 

*'  See !  they  are  coming,  fxocking 
To  Jesus'  loving  arms, 
Who  little  children  blesses, 
And  shields  from  all  alarms. 

**  And  hark  !  the  happy  chorus 
Their  childish  hearts  out- 
pour : 
*  We've  come   just    now    to 
Jesus, 
Who  all  our  sorrows  bore.* 

"  And  oh,  we  love  the  Saviour, 
Who  died  on  Calv'ry's  tree, 
And  we  will  always  follow 
Just  where  He  bids  us  be. 

"  And  noAV !  just  now  1  we  'li 
praise  Him  : 
*  Hosanna  to  the  Lord  ! 
Hosanna  !  He  has  saved  us  !' 
They  shout  with  one  accoidi 


FROM  "  THE  christian: 


>3S 


•  '^''e  bow  our  heads  in  wonder, 
Speechless,  adoring  praise; 
And — silent — our  hosannas 
With  little  children's  raise. 


'  For  God  is  now  among  ns. 
His  Spirit  is  outpoured, 
Drawing  in  tender  mercy 
To  Christ  the  risen  Lord. 

*  And  at  the  river  gathered, 
And  at  the  crystal  sea. 
We  '11  meet  these  little  chil- 
dren 
That  Jesus  has  set  free. 


"We    shall   gather  where  the 

river 
Flows  by  the  throne  of  God, 
And  we  shall  be  so  happy 
For  ever  with  the  Lord. 

"  For  ever  !  oh,  for  ever  1 

What  mind  can  grasp  the 

thought  ? 
Eternity  and  Jesus 

For  those  His  blood  hath 

bought 

"  O  Saviour  I  blessed  Sa\'iotir ! 
Now  let  us  work  for  Thee ; 
That  many  more  may  meet  U3 
Beyond  the  crystal  sea." 


The  Editor  of  The  Christian,  speaking  of  one  of  the 
C^\ldren's  Meetings  at  the  late  Mr.  Noel's  church,  said : 

"  One  evening  a  boy  of  tv/elve  was  brought  to  Mr.  H. 
by  his  elder  sister,  who  said  he  wanted  to  speak  to  him. 
We  shall  never  forget  the  rapt  expression  of  that  dear  child's 
face.  There  was  no  tear,  for  there  is  a  joy  as  well  as  a  woe 
too  deep  for  tears,  but  his  voice  and  his  whole  frame 
quivered  with  suppressed  emotion  as  he  said,  *  I  have  come 
to  thank  you  for  the  ^vords  you  have  spoken;  they  have 
brought  me  to  Jesus.'  We  cannot  recall  the  brief  conver- 
sation which  ensued,  but  if  we  could,  we  should  still  be 
unable  to  convey  the  sense  of  God's  presence  which  was 
manifest  in  the  steadfast  tearless  gaze  of  that  believing  boy, 
who  appeared,  like  Stephen,  to  behold  the  heaven  opened, 
and  the  Son  of  Man  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God. 

"  Many  boys  and  girls  were  weeping  bitterly  that  they 
were  such  sinners,  their  conviction  not  arising  so  much 
from  their  outward  acts  as  from  not  having  loved  so  kind  a 
Saviour ;  and  thoughtful  Christians  will  readily  perceive 
that  conviction  of  sin  on  this  account  is   deeper  in  its 


136  LETTERS. 

character,  and  has  more  the  elements  of  permanence,  than 
conviction  produced  by  the  sense  of  active  transgression. 

"  He  received,  while  in  the  meeting,  about  thirty  letters, 
some  of  which  he  read.  The  following  are  a  few  of 
them: 

**  *I  have  felt  very  happy  since  I  attended  your  meetings.  I  camej 
en  Monday  night,  and  I  felt  veiy  sorry  for  my  sins.  And  on  Tuesday 
night  we  had  a  little  prayer  meeting  at  Calthorpe  Street  Schools,  where 
there  was  about  thirty  of  my  school-fellows.  How  kind  was  Jesus  to 
forgive  so  great  a  sinner  as  I  was  for  eleven  years.  I  am  eleven  years 
old,     I  hope  to  love  Jesus  as  long  as  I  live. 

**  *  I  am,  your  young  friend,  .* " 


Many  of  the  follov/ing  Letters  are  instructive  as  to  the 
methods  the  Spirit  uses,  not  only  to  point  the  anxious  to 
Christ,  but  also  to  awaken  the  careless. 

**  I  am  veiy  happy  to  say  that  I  attended  your  meeting  on  Tuesday 
night,  and  was  not  much  impressed  till  a  gentleman  came  and  spoke  to  trn 
of  the  love  of  the  Savionr^  which  made  my  heart  melt.  He  then  prayed 
with  me,  and  I  got  up  with  renewed  strength,  and  went  home  rejoicing 
in  Jesus.  I  came  again  on  Wednesday,  which  strengthened  me  in 
grace.  I  am  now,  I  believe,  a  lover  of  Jesus,  and  one  of  the  redeemed. 
What  makes  me  think  so  is,  whereas  before  I  was  so  weighed  down 
with  my  sins,  now  I  am  happy  and  light-hearted.  I  think  that  these 
meetings  have  done  great  good.  I  now  conclude,  wishing  you  every 
happiness  in  Jesus.  Also,  I  am  greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  Noel,  and  hope 
that  he  may  still  continue  happy  in  Jesus.  I  am  thirteen  years  of  age. 
•*  Yours  sincerely,  • ," 


This  letter  shows  how  God  blesses  personal  effort, 

**  Dear  Sir, — I  am  happy  to  say  that  I  think  I  have  found  Jesus. 
It  was  last  Monday  night,  whett  a  lady  came  and  spoke  to  me,  and  I  then 
saw  that  it  was  no  use  depending  on  ourselves.  We  must  look  to  Jesus, 
and  to  Hivi  only.  I  then  went  home  and  prayed,  and  since  then  I  am 
a  great  deal  happier.  The  hymns  that  we  sing  are  very  nice,  my 
favourite  being  'Just  now.'  I  wish  we  could  have  prayer  meetings 
among  ourselves  to  strengthen  our  faith,  and  to  give  us  courage  to  go 
and  show  many  others  the  way  to  liappiness  while  on  tliis  earth,  and 


FAITH  IN  PR  A  YER.  137 

eternal  life  in  the  world  to  come.  Christian  friends  going  round  the 
chapel  do  a  great  deal  of  good,  I  am  sure  ;  as  if  somebody  had  not  I 
should  not  now  be  so  happy.  I  hope  you  will  bring  many  others  to  lay 
hold  of  the  first  link  of  the  golden  chain.  Give  my  very  best  thanks  to 
Mr.  Noel,  for  the  kind  way  in  which  he  speaks  to  us,  and  I  hope  your 
meetings  will  continue  for  some  time. 

*•  Your  affectionate  friend,  ." 


Many  of  the  letters  express  the  deep  gratitude  and 
affection  of  the  writers.  Faithful  pastors  are  never  more 
beloved  than  during  a  time  of  religious  awakening.  Evan- 
geUsts  who  labour  wisely  with  pastors  will  do  all  in  their 
power  to  strengthen  the  bond  of  union  between  the  shep- 
herd and  his  flock. 

**  Dear  Sir, — I  have  been  to  your  meetings  three  times.  I  am  very 
sorry  they  are  not  going  to  continue,  as  I  like  to  come  very  much.  I 
hope,  from  this  time,  I  shall  ever  love  Jesus,  and  be  a  true  Christian, 
and  never  forget  the  five  links  of  the  golden  chain,  especially  the  first 
one  (Jesus).  My  dear  mother  came  to  hear  you  preach  on  Sunday 
evening,  and  liked  you  so  much  that  she  detennined  to  bring  me,  but 
she  was  not  able  to  before  Wednesday  night,  and  then  I  told  her  I 
would  not  come,  and  when  she  said  I  should,  I  laughed  at  her,  and  she 
told  me  she  would  tell  you  what  a  bad  girl  I  v.- as,  and  so  she  did,  and 
you  and  the  gentleman  who  spoke  first  last  night,  came  and  spoke  to 
me,  and  prayed  that  Jesus  would  make  me  a  good  girl,  and  I  trust  that 
He  ha3  pardoned  all  my  sins.  You  said  last  night  that  you  wanted  to 
see  five  hundred  more  children,  and  then  you  would  see  whether  you 
could  not  continue  the  meetings  another  week,  and  I  have  brought 
seven  to-night.  Please  do  try  and  continue  these  meetings,  and  kindly 
thank  Mr.  Noel  for  having  the  meetings  in  his  chapel.  Please  do 
gpeak  to  the  little  girls  I  bring,  and  I  will  ever  pray  for  all  the  kind 
teachers  that  speak  with  us.  ,  aged  ten  years." 


child's  faith  in  prayer. 

How  true  it  is  that  "Prayer  is  the  Christian's  vital 
breath."  Yes,  the  new-born  soul  at  once  learns  the  language 
of  prayer.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  a  wonderful  teacher.  He  can 
Epeak  in  a  way  that  the  youngest  cannot  fail  to  understand. 


i^  ** BECAUSE  HE  FIFST  LOVED  MB. 

I  could  but  write  these  words  after  reading  the  lettei 
below,  from  another,  wlio  attended  the  same  meetings  in 
London ; 

••because  he  first  loved  me.** 

**Dear  Sir, — I  write  to  tell  you  that  I  trust  I  have  peace  In  Jesus, 
because  He  ilioJ  in  order  to  save  me.  I  was  at  the  meeting  on  Sunday 
evening,  and  felt  how  very  wicked  I  was  not  to  love  Him,  when  you 
read  how  He  siUfcred  for  us,  and  you  showed  us  that  crown  of  thorns. 
I  feel  now  that  I  love  Him  because  He  first  loved  me,  and  died  on  the 
cross  to  save  me.  Four  of  my  schoolmates  have  been,  I  trust,  con- 
verted, and  we  are  going  to  ask  our  governess  on  Monday  if  bhe  will 
let  us  have  .1  prayer  meeting  in  a  little  room  which  we  are  not  always 
allowed  to  go  into.  1  do  not  think  she  will  refuse.  This  morning  I 
prayed  that  God  would  put  it  into  the  heart  of  some  little  friend  who 
had  found  Jesus,  to  want  to  liave  a  pril^er  meetiiig,  and  this  afternoon, 
as  I  was  helping  one  to  put  some  books  into  the  cupboard,  she  said  to 
me,  •  Don't  you  tliuik  it  would  be  very  nice  to  have  a  prayer  meeting 
in  the  luncheon  ht)ur?'  Then  I  said  I  should  be  very  glad,  and  we 
have  agreed  to  ask  our  governess  on  Monday.  She  has  a  little  sister 
wiio  went  home  last  night  aficr  she  had  been  to  the  meeting,  saying,  '  I 
can't  help  crynig,  Ou-  I  'ni  not  quite  sure  if  I  love  Jesus  or  not.'  An- 
other little  schoolmate  went  home  and  shut  herself  in  her  room,  and 
knelt  down  and  prayed.  She  is  either  seven  or  eight  years  old.  Pray 
that  she  may  find  Jesus.  Pray  that  my  parents  and  school-fellows  may 
be  brought  to  Jesus  ;  and  pray  for  me. 

**  Your  little  friend,  ,  aged  thirteen  yeaxs." 


LETTER    FROM   A   BLIND   CHILD. 

I  have  received  numerous  letters  from  them.    I  quote 
but  one : 

•'Institute  for  Blind,  April '^o^  1869. 
<«  •  »  »  •  Yox  several  years  I  have  at  times  been  made  to 
feel  that  I  wanted  to  be  a  Christian,  though  only  from  a  feeling  of  fear 
of  punishment  ;  not  because  I  loved  Jesus,  and  wanted  to  please  Him, 
as  I  do  now.  I  attended  your  meeting  for  children  on  Sunday  after- 
noon. I  was  interested  in  the  stories,  and  was  glad  to  be  there,  though 
that  day  I  had  no  serious  impressions.  I  went  again  on  Sunday  even- 
ing. While  Mr.  McGowan  was  speaking,  I  felt  that  my  heart  was 
somewhat  moved,  but  after  leaving  the  house  I  threw  it  off  to  a  greali 


"/F  /  /IM  MOT  A  SAINT.  I  AM  A  SlNNERr         133 

extent.  On  Monday  or  Tuesday  evening  I  went  to  church,  and  you 
preached  about  the  death  and  sufferings  of  Christ.  I  felt  then  myself 
to  be  such  a  great  sinner  that  it  seemed  to  me  1  could  see  the  Saviour 
so  plauily  bleeding  on  the  cross  for  my  sins.  I  cannot  express  how  I 
felt  on  that  evening.  Some  Christian  gentleman  spoke  to  me  about 
my  soul  and  prayed  for  me.  I  then  felt  willing  to  give  myself  entirely 
up  to  Jesus,  who  died  for  me.  I  felt  a  relief  from  my  burden  of  sin. 
I  came  home,  went  to  my  room,  and  prayed  ^^nth  such  a  joy  as  I  had 
never  felt  before.  I  loved  to  pray  so,  it  seemed  t'lat  Jesus  was  right 
therewith  me.  I  feel  that  Jesus  has  [.aido.iod  my  si  as.  I  feel  so 
happy  now.  I  feel  that  I  love  the  Saviour  mt  a c  all  the  time,  and  I 
want  everybody  to  Ive  Him.  I  love  all  Chn?tiav,s,  everybody  who 
loves  Jesus  ;  and  I  pray  for  those  '.vhi>  do  riot  love  Hmx,  for  T  want  them 
to  come  to  Tesus.  I  f  It  so  happy  here  this  morning  ^t  our  meeting  at 
the  Institute.  It  seemed  that  (iod  was  right  in  our  imdst — Pray 
for  us.  — — ." 

DEAF   AND   DUMB   CHILDREN. 

One  Sabbath,  in  the  Academy  of  Music,  Indiana,  among 
the  three  thousand  who  were  present,  I  saw  a  man  standing  up 
and  making  all  sorts  of  strange  m.otions.  I  thought  at  first 
that  he  was  insane.  But  after  a  little  1  saw  that  in  front  of  him 
were  a  large  number  of  boys  and  girls  wlio  could  not  hear 
a  word  that  was  said.  They  were  all  deaf  and  dumb,  and 
so  their  teacher  was  translating  foi  them.  I  did  not  think 
at  the  time  that  he  could  make  them  understand  much 
that  was  said.  But  in  a  day  or  two  1  visited  their  insti- 
tution, and  I  found  that  they  knew  all  that  had  been  said. 
One  of  the  teachers  said  to  me,  "  I  do  not  believe  there 
are  any  that  heard  you,  who  can  tell  more  of  what  you  said 
than  these  deaf  and  dumb  children." 


"if    I    AM    XOT   A   SAINT,    I 

At  one  of  a  series  of  Children's  Meetings  in  Mr. 
Spurgeon's  Tabernacle,  where  thousands  gathered  day  after 
day,  a  little  child  who  liad  been  converted  some  months 


140  A  DIRECT  QUESTION, 

before  in  Mr.  Noel's  chapel,  handed  me  the  following 
letter  : 

**  With  much  pleasure  I  write  to  tell  you  how  I  found  Jesus.  The 
first  time  I  came  to  your  meetings  at  IMr.  Noel's,  I  liked  the  stories 
very  well,  but  when  I  found  Christians  going  about  and  asking,  *  Do 
YOL  LOVE  Jesus?'  I  went  away  as  quickly  as  I  could  ;  but  somehow 
or  other  I  did  not  feel  happy.  But  I  came  the  next  night,  and  a  little 
friend  with  me.  We  were  both  impressed  during  the  meeting,  but 
Satan  would  tell  me  to  look  at  something  somebody  had  on,  and  I  am 
afraid  I  yielded,  for  I  was  too  proud  to  be  seen  cr}'ing  ;  but  as  we  were 
passing  out,  you  were  standing  in  the  aisle,  and  asked  us  if  we  loved 
Jesus.  My  heart  was  too  full  to  answer,  but  you  led  us  to  a  side  seat 
and  put  a  little  prayer  into  our  mouths,  and  talked  so  kindly  and  gently 
it  overcame  my  wicked  heart :  it  was  just  what  I  wanted.  I  gave  my- 
self to  Jesus  ;  He  washed  all  my  sins  away,  and  I  could  sing,  *  Yes,  I 
love  Jesus.*  I  do  not  think  I  should  have  cone  to  Him  if  I  had  not  been 
spoken  to  personally,  I  should  have  gone  out,  and  the  impressions 
would  have  been  effaced  by  other  things,  and,  perhaps,  I  never  should 
have  thought  anything  more  about  them.  I  must  say,  that  when  I  saw 
you  coming,  it  ivounded  my  pride,  and  for  a  minute  I  wished  you  had 
not  been  there  ;  but  the  next  night  I  came,  I  could  not  help  loving  you, 
and  not  only  you,  but  Jesus.  When  you  went  away,  Satan  told  me  it 
was  all  fancy  and  excitement ;  I  used  to  reply,  *  If  I  am  not  a  saint,  I 
am  a  sinner,'  and  then  go  and  give  myself  to  Jesus  again  to  make  sure. 
I  cannot  think  how  it  is  so  many  Christians  do  not  believe  in  children's 
conversions.  Children  are  not  born  without  understanding  of  these 
things  ;  and  I  am  sure  of  this,  that  when  a  child  knows  who  Jesus  is, 
its  own  conscience  tells  it  it  is  a  sinner,  and  is  old  enough  to  be  con- 
verted, however  young  it  may  be.  I  am  sure  you  will  be  glad  to  know 
that  I  am  a  member  of  the  Chiurch." 


"  AS  I  WAS  COMING  OUT,  A  LADY  ASKED  ME  IF  I  LOVED  JESUS.*' 

The  following  letter  shows  the  power  of  a  word  at  the 
right  time.  Had  that  lady  allowed  this  boy  to  pass  at  that 
time,  without  speaking  to  him,  he  might  have  crowded  out 
with  the  thousands  who  thronged  Mr.  Spurgeon's  Taber- 
nacle that  day,  and  soon  lost  all  his  serious  impressions. 

Does  not  the  Spirit  of  God  often  in  vain  sound  the 
words  in  the  ears  of  Christians,  "  Run  and  speak  to  that 


PERSONAL  EFFORT  BLESSED,  141 

young  man,"  or  that  child?  It  is  my  prayer  that  these 
simple  letters  may  be  used  to  stimulate  direct  personal 
effort  for  the  salvation  of  souls. 

*«  Dear  Sir, — When  I  came  to  your  meeting  on  Sunday  last,  I  did 
not  love  Jesus.  I  was  a  sinner  ;  I  did  everything  that  was  bad.  But 
as  2  was  coming  ont  a  lady  asked  me  if  I  loz'cd  Jesus.  I  replied,  '  No.' 
She  said,  *  Would  you  like  to  love  Jesus  ?  He  is  very  good  and  kind. 
He  died  on  the  cross  to  save  sinners.'  When  I  began  to  feel  I  was  a 
sinner  and  wept,  the  lady  said,  *  Let  us  pray,'  and  we  did  so.  I  asked 
God  to  give  me  a  new  heart.  So  when  it  was  time  to  go,  I  went  home, 
and  my  sister  said,  *  Let  us  have  a  prayer  meeting.'  When  my  brother 
prayed  that  I  might  be  saved,  I  prayed  myself,  and  God  answered  my 
prayer.  I  thank  you  for  coming  to  the  Tabernacle.  God  bless  you. 
I  feel  so  happy  I  cannot  express  my  feelings.  I  love  the  Saviour ^  and 
I  want  otJicrs  to  do  the  same. 

<*  My  age  is  twelve,  and  I  write  this,  so  that  you  may  tell  others  as 
young  as  myself  that  they  are  not  too  young  to  be  converted. 

**  Yours  very  truly  - 


FILLED  TUMELERS. 

We  may  illustrate  the  importance  of  the  lesson  taught 
by  the  above  letter,  as  foUov^'s  :  you  may  take  a  glass  per- 
fectly dry,  and  carefully  fill  it  v/ith  water,  and  even  after  it 
is  full  you  can  gently  pour  in  more  till  it  is  rounded  up 
into  a  convex  shape  above  the  rim,  yet  none  trickles  over 
the  edge.  Now  if  you  gently  touch  the  edge  of  the  glass, 
the  water  will  at  once  begin  to  run  ove::. 

Just  so,  I  have  often  seen  a  company  of  children  listen- 
ing to  the  Gospel,  when  no  deep  impression  seemed  to  be 
made,  and  yet,  as  the  ministers  and  Christians  have  imme-i 
diately  moved  about  among  these  same  children,  I  have' 
seen  the  tears  begin  to  fall,  shoAving  that  their  little  hearts 
were  full,  though  previously  there  was  no  special  indication 
of  it. 

I  believe  that  often  superintendents  and  those  who 


143  THE    WONDERFUL  CHANGE, 

address  children  and  labour  for  their  salvation,  would  be 
astonished  at  the  amount  of  anxiety  in  their  hearts  if  they 
would  adopt  this  plan  of  personally  dealing  with  the  little 
ones,  and  praying  with  them  one  by  one. 


THE   WORDS   OF   MR.   JOHN   SANDS, 

spoken  at  the  meeting  of  the  London  Sunday-school  Union, 
show  how  the  children  who  wrote  the  above  letters,  and  their 
friends,  were  looked  after  by  the  pastor  of  John  Street  Chapel. 

"  The  great  truth  of  Jesus'  mission,  His  sufferings  and 
death,  were  explained,  with  interesting  anecdotes,  all  of 
which,  however,  bore  upon  the  one  subject  of  Jesus' 
love  to  sinners.  The  result  before  the  close  of  that  even- 
ing was  what  he  (Mr.  Sands)  had  never  before  witnessed. 
There  could  not  have  been  less  than  three  or  four  hundred 
children  who  bowed  their  heads  and  wept,  feeling  deeply 
their  sin  in  never  having  loved  so  precious  a  Saviour.  The 
following  evening  the  meeting  was  continued.  The  children 
did  not  need  to  be  invited  to  come ;  they  felt  constrained 
to  come,  and  a  similar  blessing  followed.  Each  evening  of 
the  week,  except  Saturday,  they  met,  and  it  was  difficult  to 
get  the  younger  ones  away.  Not  only  children  but  youths 
and  grown  people  all  seemed  alike  interested  and  moved. 
The  following  week  the  services  were  more  for  adults,  but 
still  there  was  great  blessing,  and  although  the  children 
were  requested  not  to  come,  many  of  them  came. 

"After  the  fortnight  had  expired,  Mr.  Noel  invited  those 
who  believed  that  they  had  found  Jesus  and  were  trusting  ia 
Him,  and  those  only,  to  come  on  the  Monday  evening  to 
the  chapel,  and  he  would  have  tea  provided  for  them  at 
six  o'clock ;  but  those  only  were  to  come  who  in  their  hearts 
and  minds  believed  that  they  had  found  Jesus. 

"On  the  Monday  evening  three  hundred  and  thirty 
children  came,  and  before  any  of  them  were  admitted  they 


PERSLCV  TKyN.  I43 

trcre  subjected  by  the  senior  tearhers  and  others  to  a  scru- 
liny,  and  a  number  of  those  who  hatj  come  merely  expect- 
ing to  get  tea  were  sent  home.  He  hrid  conveiscd  with 
teachers  who  were  sound,  excellent  Christians,  and  who  said 
the  change  in  the  school  was  something  wjnderfu'.  One 
female  teacher  had  told  him  she  believed  all  the  children 
in  her  class  were  converted  except  two,  and  eveii  tiiese  two 
were  awakened.  He  could  ascribe  it  to  nothing  but  to  the 
blessing  of  God's  Spirit  upon  the  loving  way  in  which  the 
mission  of  our  blessed  Saviour  was  told  to  these  children. 
Christ  had  been  precious  to  his  heart  for  many  years,  but 
he  had  never  had  his  owm  heart  so  drawn  out  in  affectionato, 
tender  love  for  the  blessed  Jesus,  and  never  did  he  so  feel 
how  little  he  had  loved  Him,  and  how  much  He  deserved 
to  be  loved  before." 


"ke  locked  me  up  in  a  room." 

Even  in  a  Christian  country  converted  children  arc 
sometimes  called  upon  to  endure  persecutions.  This  is  al' 
the  more  hard  when  it  comes  from  a  father  and  mother. 

To  make  sure  that  the  little  child  really  wrote  tht^ 
following  letter,  I  sent  down  w^iere  she  lived  to  find  out  al. 
about  it,  and  I  have  reason  to  think  that  all  she  says  is 
quite  true. 

"Newark,  N.  J.,  March  i^th,  186^. 

"I  have  felt  very  happy  since  you  spoke  to  me.  I  went  there  on 
Wednesday,  and  I  felt  very  bad  that  night,  for  I  thought  that  I  was  a 
sinner.  So  after  meeting  you  spoke  to  me.  I  went  home  crying.  My 
motlier  asked  me  what  was  the  matter.  I  told  her  that  T  was  crying, 
for  I  felt  that  I  was  a  sinner,  and  I  didn't  like  Jesus.  She  called  me  a 
fool,  and  told  me  that  I  had  no  business  to  go  to  meeting ;  and  sh^ 
began  to  swear  at  me,  and  said  if  I  went  again,  she  would  beat  me 
almost  to  death.  The  next  morning  I  prayed  and  read  two  chapters 
in  the  Bible,  and  picke<-l  out  all  tl;e  nice  verses  and  learned  them  ;  aod 
was  talking  to  my  moiher  about  Jesus,  and  ail  about  what  you  told 


£44  co^:f:uj:xce  in  cueist, 

rae,  and  she  told  me  thut  she  dJci  not  want  to  hear  any  more  of  my 
preaching,  and  told  ine  to  go  nlong  about  my  business.  She  didn't 
want  to  hear  my  voict  any  more.  Father  came  b.orae,  and  he  was  mad, 
and  I  told  him  about  my  feeling  as  tlinugli  I  was  converted,  and  told 
him  all  that  you  told  me  ;  and  he  bc;;r.ii  to  swear  at  me,  and  he 
locked  me  up  in  a  room,  and  said  he  Nvould  let  me  out  if  I  vrould 
promise  not  to  go  to  meeting,  for  he  did  not  like  me  to  go  to 
meetings.  He  said  it  was  a  bad  place  to  go.  He  kept  me  locked 
op  in  a  room  a  week,  and  fed  me  on  bread  and  water.  But  one  day 
father  went  out  and  mother  was  sick,  and  Jie  wanted  me  to  wait  on 
her.  So  she  let  me  out,  and  about  half-past  three  o'clock  I  asked  my 
mother  whether  I  could  go  to  meeting,  and  she  said  yes.  She  said  that 
she  was  glad  to  get  rid  of  me.  So  I  went,  and  when  I  came  home, 
father  was  home,  and  he  gave  me  a  whipping,  and  so  did  mother  ;  and 
father  gave  mother  a  scolding  because  she  let  me  out  of  the  room,  and 
let  me  go  to  meeting.  I  hope  you  will  pray  for  mother  and  father, 
that  they  may  become  converted,  and  pray  for  lxq  too,  so  that  I  may 
have  strength  to  cling  to  Jesus." 


"I    KNE'.V   I    HAD   FOUND   JESTS." 

**I  am  a  little  girl  eleven  years  old,  and  I  hope  I  have  found  a 
Saviour  in  Jesus.  Two  weeks  ago  last  Wednesday  night,  I  attended  a 
children's  prayer  meeting,  held  in  Stewart  Street  Church,  and  con- 
ducted by  a  boy  who  has  recently  found  the  Saviour.  Here  I  first  felt 
how  great  a  sinner  I  was.  I  tried  to  lead  a  Christian  life,  but  I  found 
it  very  hard,  and  I  kept  doing  wrong  things.  But  yesterday  I  attended 
one  of  your  Children's  Meetings,  and  we  sung  the  beautiful  hynrn, 
*  Jesus  paid  it  all.'     In  the  fourth  verse  it  says — 

*  Till  to  Jesus  Christ  you  cling,  by  a  simple  faith, 
*'  Doing"  is  a  deadly  thing;  doing  ends  in  death,* 

**I  then  Icnew  that  I  had  been  'doing';  trying  to  save  myself 
instead  of  leaving  my  burden  at  Jesus'  feet.  When  1  went  up  on  the 
platform  with  the  other  little  children  as  having  a  new  heart,  I  was 
afraid  I  was  acting  a  lie.  But  when  I  got  home  and  was  ready  for 
bed  I  knelt  down  and  praj^ed  to  God  to  give  me  a  new  heart.  For  a 
time  it  seemed  as  if  God  would  not  answer  my  prayer,  hat  suddenly  I 
felt  so  happy  I  had  to  burst  right  out  singing,  and  I  knew  I  had  fotmd 
Jesus.  To-day  I  have  written  out  the  definitions  of  a  new  heart,  and 
whenever  I  think  I  have  sinned  in  one  of  them  I  mean  to  put  a  black 
mark  against  it,  and  pray  that  that  heart  may  be  restored  to  me.  I 
put  'Obedient  heart'  and  *  Working  heart '  first,  as  J.  thought  tho:3 


"I  WOULD  NOT  CRY.**  145 

would  be  the  ones  I  vould  find  it  hardest  to  keep  without  a  mark.  I 
mean  to  read  my  Bible  every  day,  and  select  some  text  to  learn.  Last 
night  my  text  was,  *  Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation  : 
the  spirit  indeed  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak.'  I  want  you  to 
pray  for  me,  that  I  may  never  turn  back  from  the  right  road.  May 
God  bless  the  meetings  wherever  they  are  held. — From  your  little 
convert,  "  E.  M." 

**I   THOUGHT  TO   MYSELF  THAT  I   WOULD   NOT  CRY." 

**  I  want  to  tell  you  how  I  found  Jesus.  I  went  to  hear  you  speak 
to  the  children  on  Friday  night.  May  31st.  I  had  heard  about  the 
cliildren  crying  for  their  sins,  and  I  thought  to  jnyself  that  I  would  not  cry^ 
nor  let  it  have  any  effect  on  me.  I  know  now  that  it  was  the  devil 
who  made  me  think  so,  but  Jesus  is  stronger  than  the  devil ;  and  all 
the  time  you  were  speaking  He  softened  my  heart,  yet  Satan  kept 
whispering  to  me  not  to  be  sorry  for  my  sins,  not  to  ask  Jesus  for  a  new 
heart.  But  at  the  close  of  the  service  a  dear  friend  asked  me  if  I  loved 
Jesus.  I  cried  then,  for  I  could  not  say  no,  and  I  dared  not  say  yes  ; 
then  a  gentleman  came  and  talked  with  me  ;  then  I  felt  what  a  sinner 
I  v/as,  how  wicked  I  had  been  ;  then  I  prayed  that  Jesus  would  forgive 
me,  and  give  me  a  new  heart ;  and  so  He  did  ;  and  I  went  home  from 
chapel  that  night  happy  in  the  Lord.  I  have  had  many  little  trials  to 
bear  at  home,  but  I  \.xy,  with  Jesus*  help,  to  bear  them  patiently. 
Satan  often  tries  to  make  me  unhappy,  and  doubting  whether  I  have 
really  found  Jesus  ;  but  when  I  pray  to  God,  Satan  goes  away,  for  he 
hates  to  see  me  on  my  knees  ;  but  he  comes  again  and  tempts  me  as 
before,  but  the  dear  Saviour  keeps  me  from  yielding,  and  then  I  feel  so 
happy.  Day  by  day  I  love  Jesus  more,  but  I  want  to  serv'e  Him.  Oh, 
how  I  long  to  do  something  for  Jesus,  who  has  done  so  much  for  me  1 
I  mean  to  try  and  get  as  many  of  my  companions  as  I  can  to  come  and 
hear  you ;  then  I  sincerely  hope  that  they  will  go  home  rejoicing 
because  they  have  found  a  precious  Saviour. 

**I  can  now  sing  with  all  my  heart,  'Jesus  is  mine,'  and  *I  love 
Jesus.'  Do  pray  for  me,  that  I  may  keep  in  the  way  '  that  leadeth  unto 
everlasting  life/  and,  please,  pray  for  my  papa  and  three  brothers,  who 
have  not  yet  sought  Jesus.  I  like  that  hymn  best,  'Nothing  either 
great  or  small.* — With  much  love  to  yourself  and  Mrs.  Hammond,  and 
many  thanks  to  Mr.  Noel  for  his  kindness,  I  remain  yours  ever, 

'* 1  thirteen  years  old." 

Little  Grade,  eight  years  of  age,  whose  home  is  in 
Cincinnati,  says : 

20 


X46  THE  COVENANT^ 

"  Cincinnati,  Z>^r.  30. 

**  Jesus  says,  *  I  love  them  that  love  Me,  and  they  that  seek  Me  early 
shall  find  Me.* 

**  I  am  trying  to  seek  the  Saviour  while  He  may  be  found.  I  am 
veiy  much  interested  in  the  meetings,  and  I  hope  they  are  doing  me 
some  good.  I  have  a  little  friend  that  goes  to  the  meetings  with  me, 
and  I  like  to  talk  to  her  about  Jesus.  I  love  the  songs  they  sing  there. 
I  love  one  more  than  the  others,  and  that  one  is  *  My  Jesus,  T  love 
Thee.'  I  love  to  read  the  Eible,  and  I  do  read  it  every  evening.  I 
feel  that  I  am  a  wicked  sinner,  and  ought  to  pray  for  myself,  but  it 
seems  as  if  I  can  never  get  in  the  right  way.  I  cannot  keep  my  eye 
on  Jesus  all  the  time.  I  feel  that  I  must  pray  and  love  Jesus  if  I  want 
to  go  to  heaven  when  I  die.  I  feel  like  singing  all  the  time.  I  love 
those  sweet  songs  so  much  that  tell  about  Jesus  and  His  love.  I  hope 
you  will  pray  for  me  that  I  may  find  the  Saviour,  and  that  He  will 
help  me  to  pray  earnestly  for  myself. 

**  From  your  little  friend, 

**Gracie  B ,  aged  eight  years." 

It  IS  much  more  interesting  to  read  children's  letters 
from  their  own  pens  than  on  the  printed  page. 

No  doubt  some  who  peruse  these  pages  will  wonder  if 
the  authors  of  these  little  letters  did  not  receive  some 
assistance  from  their  parents  while  writing  them.  But  a 
sight  of  the  originals  would  generally  convince  a  sceptic  of 
their  genuineness. 

THE   COVENANT. 

About  fourteen  years  ago  I  became  acquainted  v/ith 
Miss  M.  E.  Winslow,  of  Brooklyn,  at  that  time  a  teacher  ia 
the  Parker  Institute. 

Her  own  soul  was  greatly  blessed  in  the  meetings  fox 
children  which  she  then  attended,  and  from  that  time  she 
became  an  earnest  worker.  Especially  was  it  her  delight  to 
lead  children  to  Jesus. 

Sonie  time  after,  she  wrote  me  the  following  concerning 
a  covenant  she  presented  for  the  children  to  sign  who  pro* 
fessed  to  have  been  converted. 


ITS  OJilGIN,  X47 

1  have  not  much  faith  in  a  man  signing  a  pledge  in  his 
own  strength.  Cut  when  a  person,  young  or  old,  after  being 
examined  by  judicious  ministers  or  laymen,  is  found  to  be 
able  to  give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  him  with  meek- 
ness and  fear,  it  seems  to  mc  most  proper  that  he  should 
*'  subscribe  with  his  hand  unto  the  Lord,"  and  thus  enter 
into  covenant  with  Him  who  has  said, 

"  I  WILL  MAKE  AN  EVERLASTING  COVENANT  WITH  THEM, 
THAT  I  WILL  NOT  TURN  AWAY  FRO.M  THEM,  TO  DO  THEM 
GOOD  ;  BUT  I  WILL  PUT  MY  FEAR  IN  THEIR  HEARTS,  THAT 
THEY  SHALL  NOT  DEPART  FROM  IMe  "  Qer.  XXxii.  40). 

Miss  Winslow  says ; 

"There  had  been  quite  a  revival  in  one  of  our  large  schools  among 
the  little  ones,  many  of  whom  hoped  they  had  found  Jesus,  and  were 
veiy  happy.  They  loved  to  come  to  the  prayer  meetings  which  we 
held  after  school,  and  they  loved  to  join  in  the  sweet  hymns  and  listea 
to  the  stories  of  His  wonderful  love  ;  and  they  loved  to  tell  their  Uttle 
companions  and  friends  of  their  new-found  Saviour. 

**  One  day  the  teacher  who  presided  at  the  meeting  brought  a.  little 
blue  booh  in  her  hand,  in  which  she  asked  them  to  sign  their  t«^mes, 
after  reading  what  she  had  written  on  the  first  page.     It  was  as  follows  : 

*•  *  We,  the  undersigned,  hope  that  we  have  found  Jesus 

TO  BE  OUR  precious  SAVIOUR;  AND  WE  PROMISE,  EV  HiS  HELP,  TO 
LIVE  AS  His  loving  children  and  FAITHFUL  SERVANTS  ALL  OUR 
LIVES.' 

*' Many  of  the  children  signed  their  names;  but  when  it  came  to 
Ella's  turn  she  said  :  *  I  am  afraid  to  sign  that.  It  would  be  so  dread- 
fully wielded  to  do  anything  wrong  afterward,  or  to  forget.  And, 
besides,  I  am  not  sure  that  I  am  a  Christian,  and  I  Jo  not  dare  tell  a 
lis' 

•*The  teacher  explained  that  this  was  a  covfuant  which  only 
expressed  a  hope  and  a  trust  in  the  power  of  Jesus  to  enable  us  to  keep 
our  promises  ;  that  it  would  indeed  be  a  dreadful  thmi;:to  forget  or  turn 
back  again,  but  that  Jesus  would  not  let  her  do  so  if  she  trusted  in 
Him.  So  at  length,  with  many  misgivings,  Ella  sign-'d  her  name  in 
the  book  ;  and  soon  after  the  meeting  closed  and  the  school  broke  up 
for  the  vacation.  The  scholars  were  all  scattered  abroad,  and  I  feai 
Buany  of  them  forgot  all  about  the  meeting^  but  Ella  did  notv 


148  ELLA'S  VICTORY, 

"  When  the  next  term  began,  she  came  at  once  to  her  teaclier  and 
said:  *I  am  so  glad  I  signed  that  covenant  1  I  do  not  know  how  I 
should  have  got  along  without  it.  All  summer,  when  I  felt  like  doing 
wrong,  something  seemed  to  whisper  in  my  ears,  *  remember  the 
covenant,*  and  I  couldn't  do  it.  When  I  was  in  a  hurry  and  likely  to 
forget  my  prayers  and  my  Bible,  I  would  suddenly  think,  there  is  my 
promise  to  be  a  faithful  servant  of  Jesus,  I  can't  be  unfaithful  to  Him. 
When  others  would  laugh  at  me  and  try  to  make  me  forget  all  about 
last  winter,  and  give  up  trying  to  be  a  Christian,  I  couldn't  forget  that 
my  name  was  dowm  among  the  others,  and  I  did  not  dare  to  turn  back 
from  following  Jesus.     I  wouldn't  not  have  signed  it  for  the  world.' 

**  Don't  you  see  how  it  was  ?  She  had  entered  into  covenant  with 
the  Lord,  and  He  was  keeping  His  part  of  the  covenant  by  not  letting 
her  forget,  or  fall  into  sin." 

During  the  past  seven  years  I  have  presented  the  above 
covenant  in  all  the  places  in  which  I  have  laboured. 

In  many  places  only  about  half  tlie  number  sign  it,  which 
afterwards  are  examined  and  join  the  churches. 

This  shows  that  some  are  deterred  from  signing  it,  who 
afterwards  come  to  the  conclusion  that  they  have  been 
regenerated. 

One  advantage  of  the  covenant  is,  that  some  who,  for 
one  reason  or  another,  are  discouraged  from  connecting 
themselves  with  the  Church,  are,  by  signing  it,  led  to  feel 
that  they  are  committed,  so  that  they  fmtsf  not  go  back. 

I  have  received  many  letters  from  those,  young  and  old, 
who,  with  little  Ella,  have  rejoiced  in  the  steps  she  took. 


HOUSE   OF   REFUGE. 

During  the  revival  in  Rochester,  in  1869,  we  held  a 
number  of  meetings  in  the  House  of  Refuge.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  C.  P.  Bush  wrote  as  follov/s : 

"The  most  remarkable  feature  of  this  revival  is  that 
which  has  manifested  itself  in  our  House  of  Refuge.  Here 
are  three  hundred  and  eighty  boys,  none  over  sixteen  years 


THE  HOUSE  OF  REFUGE.  i  ^ 

of  age,  but  many  of  them  already  old  in  crime.  But, 
fortunately,  the  superintendent,  Mr.  Carpenter,  is  a  religious 
man,  and  knows  that  the  best  way  to  reform  these  vicious 
boys  is  to  get  them  to  be  Christians. 

"  He  brought  some  of  them  two  or  three  times  to  Llr. 

H 's  meetings.     They  came  up  first  only  for  the  sake  of 

the  ride,  and  to  gratify  their  natural  curiosity.  But  soon 
some  were  interested,  and  they  carried  the  fires  kindled  in 
their  own  breasts  back  to  the  institution  itself  The  flames 
spread  rapidly.  The  boys  are  now  holding  meetings  daily 
among  themselves.  It  was  our  privilege  to  attend  one 
of  these  gatherings.  It  was  held  at  ii  a.m.,  the  time  of 
play;  but  instead  of  being  out  at  their  sports,  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  of  the  boys  came  together  of  their  own 
accord. 

"  This  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  meetings  which 
it  was  ever  our  privilege  to  attend.  Fourteen  of  those  boys 
stood  up  and  spoke  for  Christ,  expressing  hope  in  His 
mercy,  and  exhorting  their  companions  most  fervently  and 
touchingly  to  come  and  trust  in  the  same  Saviour.  Five  of 
them  offered  prayer,  no  one  being  called  on  by  name  save 
the  last ;  all  volunteering,  speaking  readily  and  rapidly, 
losing  no  time  by  waiting  one  for  another,  and  speaking 
and  praying  with  a  fluency  and  propriety  which  could  not 
be  accounted  for  except  by  supposing  them  specially  taught 
by  the  Spirit. 

"And  when  the  meeting  v/as  near  closing,  those  who 
were  indulging  hope  were  requested  to  stand  up.  Seventy 
were  immediately  on  their  feet.  Next,  all  those  who 
desired  to  be  Christians  and  wished  others  to  pray  for 
them  were  requested  to  rise,  and  some  thirty  or  forty  more 
arose.  The  superintendent  then  called  upon  one  of  the 
older  boys  to  offer  the  closing  prayer,  especially  for  those 
who  had  just  said,  *Pray  for  us.'     It  certainly  seemed  as 


i:o  LETTERS  FROM  THE  DEAF  AND  DUMB, 

though  that  boy  was  taught  of  the  Spirit,  his  prayer  was  so 
tender,  so  appropriate.  We  aftenvards  learned  that  he  vas 
a  poor  cripple,  made  such  for  life  by  the  cruelty  of  a  step, 
father,  who  showed  his  parental  tenderness  by  kicking  the 
boy  into  the  street  and  breaking  his  hip-bone.  We  were 
rdso  told  that  many  of  those  now  indulging  hope  in  Christ 
were  among  the  worst  boys  of  the  institution.  One  had 
tried  several  times  to  fire  the  buildings.  Some  have  since 
confessed  fearful  crimes,  which  they  had  before  concealed. 
Some  also  who  spoke  and  prayed  v/ere  very  young,  not 
more  than  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age. 

"We  need  hardly  add,  that  a  great  change  has  come 
over  the  entire  institution.  It  is  now  truly  a  reformatory. 
It  is  much  more  easily  managed  than  it  was.  And  it  is 
pleasant  to  think  how  much  better  it  will  be  for  those  boys 
when  they  come  out  of  that  place,  that  God  has  met  them 
there  and  made  them  new  creatures ;  how  much  better  also 
for  society,  that  they  are  truly  reformed,  and  prepared  to 
become  good  citizens,  rather  than  greater  adepts  in  crime." 

JACKSONVILLE   INSTITUTION   FOR   DEAF  AND  DUUIB. 

A  work  somewhat  similar  to  that  in  Rochester  was  wit- 
nessed in  the  Jacksonville  (Illinois)  Institution  for  Deaf  and 
Dumb,  presided  over  by  Dr.  Gillett,  who  was  among  the 
select  number  of  those  who  were  chiefly  instrumental  iii 
introducing  the  international  S.  S.  Lesson  Series. 

My  heart  was  deeply  moved  as  I  witnessed  numbers  of 
those  mutes  coming  to  Christ. 

I  received  one  day  thirty  or  forty  letters  from  them. 
Though  I  had  spoken  through  an  interpreter,  I  found  they 
had  perfectly  understood  all  I  had  said. 

I  was  quite  astonished  to  find  that  a  number  of  them 
had  been  in  the  habit  of  swearing,  but  they  seemed 
fully  to  repent  of  it. 


*' IT'S  YOUR  LAST  aiANCSr  igs 

One  of  them  by  the  name  of  Willie  says : 

"  I  am  sorry  for  my  sins  ;  I  have  been  a  wicked,  bad  boy  ;  but  I 
think  now  Jesus  has  \T^ashed  my  heart  clean,  and  I  will  trust  and  work 
for  Him  until  I  die," 

Another  says  in  her  letter : 

"I  feel  very  badly  for  my  sins ;  but  now  I  love  Jesus,  who  died  on 
the  cross  for  me. 

"I  pray  to  God  that  I  may  love  and  work  for  Hun  as  long  as 
Hive. 

"I  love  the  dear  Jesus  because  He  died  on  the  cruel  cross 
for  me." 

A  third  says : 

"I  was  a  very  bad  boy  and  wicked  until  April  2i,  1874;  now  I 
have  confessed  my  sins.  I  want  to  serve  Him,  and  go  to  heaven  wlien 
I  die.  I  used  to  pray,  but  I  was  without  faith.  I  have  faith  now,  and 
am  happy,  and  will  serve  God  until  I  die,  thea  I  will  go  to  be  happy  all 
the  time*    I  am  thirteen  yeais  old." 


"it's  your  last  chance." 

Even  young  children,  taught  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  are 
led  to  realize  the  danger  of  delay  in  the  matter  of  their 
soul's  salvation,  as  we  see  by  the  following  letter  from  a 
child  in  Kansas : 

"  Lawrencb,  Dec.  \2,  1863. 
"The  first  time  I  went  to  the  Children's  Meeting  I  went  out  ol 
curiosity ;  but  when  you  asked  us  to  stop  to  the  inquiry  meeting  my 
heart  beat  very  loud  ;  but  I  succeeded  in  getting  out  of  the  church;  but 
before  I  got  half-way  home  there  was  a  still  small  voice  said,  *  Better  go 
back ;  it  is  your  last  chance  ! '  but  I  did  not  heed  the  voice  of  conscience, 
and  I  went  home.  The  next  day  I  went  again,  and  did  the  same. 
When  I  got  home  I  prayed  to  God  to  give  me  a  new  heart,  but  He 
didn't  seem  to  hear  my  prayer ;  and  then  I  said,  I  have  been  so  wicked 
that  God  %\on't  hear  my  prayers.  The  next  day  I  went  and  stayed  to  the 
inquiry  meeting.     When  you  came  and  spoke  to  me  you  asked  me  if  I 


i^a  PRAYER  ANSWERED. 

was  willing lo  give  up  all  to  Jesus.  I  told  you  I  was.  Then  3'ou  knelt 
and  pjayed  with  ms,  but  I  did  not  feel  any  better.  I  went  home  and 
prayed  myself  to  sleep  ;  and  still  I  found  no  relief.  I  awoke  before 
light  the  next  morning,  and  began  praying  as  before  ;  but  this  time  I 
asked  Him  if  there  was  anything  that  I  was  not  willing  to  give  up^  to 
tell  me,  and  I  would  give  it  up.  And  He  did  tell  me.  Then  I  said, 
''Dear  Lord,  I  give  it  all  up  ;  take  me  just  as  I  am ;  it  is  all  I  can  do. 
I  give  myself  to  Thee.'  And  I  was  a  new  creature  from  that  moment. 
I  found  Jesus  then  and  there,  for  I  was  detennined  not  to  leave  my  room 
until  I  found  Jesus.  Oh  !  I  did  feel  so  happy.  I  went  downstairs  ai:id 
I  commenced  to  plead  widimylitile  brother  to  ^o  to  meeting  with  me, 
I  wanted  him  to  love  Jesus.  He  would  not  go  ;  but  I  shall  try  and  bring 
him  this  afcemoon,  and  I  hope  he  may  learn  to  love  Christ,  who  died 
for  him.  I  intend  to  live  for  Christ ;  and  not  only  live,  but  work  for 
Him,  "  Your  little  friend,  ." 

''can't  we  have  a  prayer  meeting?" 

A  little  girl  went  away  into  a  neighbouring  town  where 
there  was  a  revival.  She  attended  the  meetings,  and  heard 
the  story  of  the  cross,  and  gave  herself  to  Jesus.  When  she 
returned  home,  she  went  to  an  old  man  who  was  a  Christian, 
and  said  to  him, 

** Can't  we  have  a  prayer-meeting?'* 

"  We  ?  "  said  he ;  "I  don't  know  of  another  Christian  in 
this  district." 

"Well,"  said  she,  "you  are  a  Christian  and  I  am  a 
Christian.     Can't  we  have  a  prayer-meeting  ?" 

"Well,"  said  he,  "we  can  say  we,  then," 

They  did  have  a  prayer-meeting.  The  next  day  two  01 
three  more  came.  God  answered  tlicir  prayers,  and  now 
between  twenty  and  thirty  have  found  the  Saviour. 


ors^c^o-;;::^!:^!::^^ 


CHAPTER  DC 

TESTIMONIES  FROM  MINISTERS. 

'THAT  WHICH   WE  HAVE  SEExV  AND   HEARD  DECLARE  WE  tTNTO  YOIT, 
THAT  YE  ALSO  MAY  HAVE  FELLOWSHIP  WITH  US.  " 

I  John  i.  S. 


gURING  the  progress  of  this  book  I  have  received 
letters  from  distinguished  ministers  of  different 
^^^i  denominations  concerning  child  conversion,  v/hich 
I  insert  in  this  chapter. 

FROM  REV,  C.  H.  SPURGEON, 

**  Nightingale  Lane,  Clapham, 
"  London,  Sept.  15,  1877. 
"  Rev.  E.  P.  Hammond  : 

"  Dear  Sir, — My  conviction  is  that  our   converts 

FROM  AMONG  CHILDREN  ARE  AMONG  THE  VERY  BEST  V/S 
HAVE.  I  SHOULD  JUDGE  THEM  TO  HAVE  BEEN  MORE 
NUMEROUSLY  GENUINE  THAN  ANY  OTHER  CLASS,  MORE 
CONSTANT,   AND   IN   THE   LONG   RUN   MORE   SOLID. 

"  I  speak  of  those  who  are  tried  and  kept  under  tlie 
wing  of  the  Church. 

"  May  you  prosper  evermore. 

"Yours  truly,  C  H.  Spurgeon." 


FROM  REV,  EZRA  TINKER,  A.M.,  B.D. 
"My  dear  Brother, — I  am  happy  to  add  my  testi- 
mony in  favour  of  early  conversion.     It  is  a  subject  that 


154  CONVERSION. 

Lhould  be  more  thoroughly  discussed  and  more  generally 
n.-lvocated.  In  our  eagerness  to  reach  adults  we  too  often 
overlook  the  children.  In  the  minds  of  some  there  is  a 
kind  of  scepticism  in  respect  to  early  conversion.  While 
iJicy  admit  the  possibility,  they  give  a  toss  of  the  head, 
;.  which  clearly  indicates  the  state  of  their  minds. 

**  In  the  fall  of  1853,  a  series  of  revival  meetings  wag 
held.  The  preachmg  was  earnest,  powerful,  and  touching. 
Tlie  house  was  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity.  A  large 
number  oi  ptjrsons  m^ade  a  profession  of  religion.  In  age 
they  varied  from  fifteen  to  sixty. 

"Those  were  the  first  revival  meetings  that  I  ever 
attended.  I  was  ten  years  old.  I  was  present  at  all  those 
meetmgs,  listened  attentively  to  the  preaching,  was  thrilled 
by  the  singing,  was  often  in  tears  as  I  thought  of  my  sins, 
went  home  cniy  to  toss  all  night  long  upon  my  bed,  and 
rose  m  tlie  morning  to  nnd  myself  no  calmer. 

**  The  day  was  spent  in  gieat  anxiety.  No  one  seemed 
to  notice  me  or  care  for  my  soul,  or,  if  they  observed  me, 
they  evidently  thought,  *  He  does  not  know  what  he  is 
weeping  about.'    So  I  was  left  to  myself 

"  As  no  o]ie  noticed  me,  or  tried  to  aid  me,  I  was  left 
to  endure  the  most  excruciating  agony  of  mind.  I  suffered 
all  that  a  sensitive  childish  mind  could  suffer.  I  knew  not 
what  to  do.  I  knew  not  how  to  pray.  I  was  in  utter  dark- 
ness. Meanwhile  a  brother  and  two  sisters  were  con- 
verted. 

"They  saw  my  anxiety,  and  talked  with  me.  They 
tried  to  Lake  me  through  the  A  B  C  of  Christian  experience. 
But  as  they  were  comparatively  young  themselves,  and  only 
just  initiated,  they  gave  me  but  Httle  light  upon  the  subject. 
Immediately  revival  meetings  were  started  in  the  Methodist 
Church,  under  the  supervision  of  Rev.  Walter  Gerome,  oi 
precious  memory,  and  of  Rev.  Daniel  Cobb,  of  Norwich, 


FRANK Y  REEVE.  155 

N.Y.  It  was  during  this  last  meeting,  which  continued  till 
tlie  month  of  May,  that  I  was  converted,  and  received  the 
evidence  of  my  adoption.  I  have  enjoyed  constant  peace, 
although  twenty-five  years  have  passed  away  since  I  united 
with  the  Church 

«  Since  I  entered  the  ministry  there  have  come  under 
my  observation  some  remarkable  instances  of  early  conver- 
sion, one  of  which  I  wish  to  narrate. 

"  During  the  most  noted  revival  of  religion  that  has 
taken  place  in  the  village  of  Goshen,  Orange  County,  N.Y., 
in  twenty-five  years,  a  Mr.  Charles  A.  Reeve  and  his  wife 
were  converted. 

»  They  had  a  bright  little  boy  six  years  of  age.  He 
came  to  the  meetings  with  them.  He  became  very  serious, 
went  to  the  altar,  was  converted.  I  baptized  him,  received 
him  into  the  Church,  and  admitted  him  to  the  Lord's 
Supper.  There  was  not  a  person  converted  who  gave  better 
evidence  of  it  than  little  Franky  Reeve. 

"  He  was  allowed  to  follow  the  bent  of  his  own  mind, 
and  every  step  was  taken  of  his  own  accord. 

"  He  came  out  of  his  room  one  day,  and  said  to  his 
mother,  *  Mamma,  I  am  going  to  be  baptized.  I  have  been 
praying  about  it,  and  I  feel  that  I  ought  to  be.' 

"  He  was  manly  and  wise  beyond  his  yean^  and  he 
seemed  to  apprehend  spiritual  truths  with  great  readiness. 

"  If  children  are  properly  nurtured,  I  believe  tkey  will 
continue  steadfast  in  the  faith.  I  gather  them  into  classes 
by  themselves,  appoint  a  competent  leader,  generally  a  lady, 
and  have  her  meet  them  at  least  once  a  week  in  class. 

«I  have  such  a  class  in  my  church  in  Yonkers.  An 
estimable  Christian  lady  is  the  leader.  I  appoint  ladies 
leaders  of  children's  classes,  because  they  seem  better 
adapted  to  instruct  them,  to  sympathize  with  them,  and  to 


156  DR.  NEWTON'S  LETTER. 

!iold  them.     He  who  gathers  the  children  into  the  fold  of 
Christ,  will  do  invaluable  service  for  the  Master. 

**  Yours  truly,  Ezra  Tinker." 


FROM  REV,  RICHARD  NEWTON,  D.D. 
Author  of  "  Bible  Wonders,"  "Bible  Jewels,"  etc, 

•'Mount  Airy,  Philadelphia, 

"  Sepember  2^,  iSjj, 

"  Mrs.  E.  P.  Ha^imond. 

"  My  dear  Friend, — In  answer  to  your  questions  let 
me  say : 

"  I  St.  /do  believe  in  the  early  conversion  of  cJiildren, 

**  Let  me  quote  here  from  a  paper  which  I  read  before 
the  Congress  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  which 
met  in  Boston  last  fall.  The  paper  appears  in  the  printed 
report  of  that  Congress. 

" '  Who  shall  say  at  how  early  an  age  in  the  child's  expe- 
rience this  blessed  change  (not  vision)  may  not  be  effected? 

"  *  I  speak  with  assured  confidence  here,  because  I  can 
point  to  the  cases  ol  earnest  Christian  men  respecting  whom 
I  know  that  they  were  converted  in  the  cradle. 

"  '  Certam  it  is  that  the  earliest  unfoldings  of  their 
infant  faculties  v/ere  all  under  the  manifest  guidance  and 
control  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Those  most  intimately  con- 
cerned in  their  Christian  nurture  can  say  without  a  doubt 
that  they  never  knew  the  time  when,  as  children,  they  did 
not  seem  to  be  just  what  Christian  children  ought  to  be. 

"  *  In  regard  to  the  second  question,  "  How  young 
should  children  be  received  into  the  Church?"  I  do  not 
think  it  possible  to  fix  any  uniform  rule.  It  depends 
entirely  on  the  training  and  character  of  the  child,  and  the 
nature  of  its  spiritual  experience. 


PEV.  A.  A.  BONAR,  D.D,  157 

"  *  I  have  in  rare  instances  received  children  into  the 
Church  as  young  as  ten  years  of  age,  and  have  never  had 
reason  to  regret  it' 

"  This  answers  your  second  and  third  questions  both 
together. 

«  Miss has  turned  out  to  be  a  most  exeni' 

plary  and  devoted  Christian.  I  pray  God  that  your  husband 
may  be  the  instrument  of  multitudes  of  such  conversions  in 
early  life. 

"  And  wishing  you  and  your  husband  God-speed  in  your 
work,  I  remain,  very  truly  yours, 

"Richard  Nev/ton." 


FROM  REV.  A.  A,  BONAR,  D.D. 

**  Glasgow,  Scotland, 

September  18,  1877. 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Hammond, — We  often,  often  remember 
you,  though  few  letters  have  passed  between  us.  My 
daughters  and  myself  will  never  forget  your  visit  and  the 
time  of  blessing  then,  and  they  as  well  as  myself  send  you 
most  hearty  salutations. 

"  Dear  brother,  my  thoughts  on  the  subject  of  the 
conversion  of  children  are  the  same  as  when  I  wrote  that 
tract  you  refer  to.*  I  think  I  agreed  with  you  in  almost 
everything  but  one,  viz.,  expressing  publicly  an  opinion  on 
cases.  It  seems  to  me  that  we  should  be  cautious  in  so 
doing ;  for  children  themselves  mistake  feeling  for  faith  ; 
how  easy,  then,  for  us  who  do  not  know  the  heart,  to 
mistake  in  them  a  manifestation  of  feeling  for  evidence 
cl  faith. 

•  T/14  Confer sivn  of  Children,     By  Dr.  A,  A.  Bonar, 


iS8  REV.   IVM.  S.  PLUMER,  D,D, 

"  But  in  the  awakening  which  took  place  under  your 
labours  here,  and  in  awakenings  that  have  been  given  us 
since,  the  cases  of  young  people  have  been  as  entirely 

SATISFACTORY   AS    ANY    CASES  WE    HAVE  HAD.       If  COnversioit 

be  Goifs  wotJz,  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  reveals  Christ  to 
the  soul,  surely  His  work  can  take  place  in  children  as 
really  as  in  the  old  ;  for  it  is  the  young  soul  meeting  with 
Christ  in  the  one  case,  and  the  adult  in  the  other. 

**  One  day,  about  the  time,  or  perhaps  after  the  time, 
you  were  among  us,  in  the  vestry  of  my  church,  an  old 
Christian  woman,  who  had  watched  the  work  going  on, 
came  to  me  and  said,  *  Sir,  you  will  find  many  people 
speaking  lightly  of  the  young  who  come  to  Christ,  as  if 
there  was  nothing  but  feeling  in  their  case ;  but  never  mind 
what  these  people  say.  /  was  cotiverted  in  the  days  of  Dr. 
Kidd,  of  Aberdeen,  when  I  was  hut  a  child,  and  two  others 
of  my  age  were  converted  at  the  same  time ;  and  we  have 
all  three  gone  on  to  this  day,  following  the  I.amb.' 

"The  Lord  blesses  you  amazingly.  Surely  you  will 
need  to  '  walk  circumspectly,'  '  sober,  vigilant,'  for  Satan 
will  not  fail  to  watch  you  and  seek  to  injure  you,  that  he 
may  injure  God's  work  through  you.  If  the  way  be  opened 
for  your  revisiting  Scotland,  many  among  us  shall  rejoice. 

"  Meanwhile,  wc  pray  for  you,  and  will  not  cease.  Pray 
for  us  still,  dear  brother. 

"  Yours  truly,  in  Him,  *  Whose  v/e  are  and  whom  we 
serve.*  Andrew  A.  Bonar." 


FROM  REV.  IVM,  S.  PLUMER,  D.D, 

Dr.  Plumer,  of  the  Theological  Seminary,  Columbia, 
South  Carolina,  in  his  article  headed  "  YouNG  Children 
MAY  BE  TRULY  Pious,"  says : 


DR.  HOGB.  1S9 

**The  revivals  of  modern  times  are  full  of  interest. 
They  are  working  out  and  bringing  into  prominence  many 
great  truths.  Among  them  has  been  the  appearance  of  a 
general  and  increased  confidence  in  the  possibility  and 
reality  of  very  early  piety.  Is  it  not  true  that  many  good 
men  of  former  days  doubted  whether  any  child  could  be 
truly  pious  ?  And  has  not  public  sentiment,  of  late  years, 
undergone  a  desirable  change  ? 

"The  Rev.  Moses  Hoge,  D.D.,  of  Virginia,  was  a  man 
greatly  revered  and  beloved  in  his  day.  John  Randolph,  of 
Roanoke,  pronounced  him  the  most  eloquent  speaker  he 
ever  heard.  He  was  the  father  of  three  eminent  ministers 
of  the  Gospel,  one  of  whom,  Pvcv.  James  Hoge,  D.D.,  oi 
Columbus,  Ohio,  still  lives  to  preach  Christ  He  also  had 
several  grandsons  in  the  ministry.  This  venerable  man, 
who  died  in  1822,  often  said  to  his  friends,  that  he  could 
not  remember  the  time  when  he  did  not  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Was  not  this  much  better  than  to  be  able  to 
remember  the  time  when  he  hated  the  Saviour,  and  de- 
spised His  blood  and  righteousness  ? 

"It  requires  no  more  intellect  to  love  than  to  hate 
Christ,  to  please  than  to  displease  Him,  to  serve  than  to 
disobey  Him.  \Vhen  Samuel  J.  Mills  was  yet  a  child,  he 
was  so  overcome  by  a  sense  of  his  responsibilities,  that  he 
said,  *0h,  my  mother,  I  wish  I  had  never  been  born.*  His 
mother  did  not  dare  to  relieve  his  mind  by  any  false  view, 
and  said,  *  My  son,  you  are  born.'  It  would  have  required 
TxO  more  mind  to  have  said  with  Halyburton,  *  Oh,  blessed 
be  God  that  ever  I  was  born  ! ' 

"  The  first  and  one  of  the  happiest  deaths  I  ever  wit- 
nessed, was  that  of  a  full-grown  young  man  vrho  was  pre- 
paring for  the  ministry.  I  learned  from  reliable  sources 
the  history  of  his  religious  character.  Among  other  things, 
I  remember  that,  when  he  was  not /7«r  years  ol^  he  set 


i6o  *'0n,  HERE  IS  A  LITTLE  CHRISTIAN/** 

down  his  cup  of  bread-and-milk,  and  burst  into  tears. 
When  his  mother  asked  the  cause,  he  answered,  *  I  am 
afraid  I  shall  die,  and  not  live  any  more.'  Surely  this 
child  had  then  intellect  enough  to  receive  Christ  as  He  is 
offered  in  the  Gospel  ? 

"  More  than  twenty-five  years  ago,  I  attended  the  m^eet- 
ing  of  a  Presbytery  in  the  South.  There  was  preaching 
for  several  days.  On  the  Sabbath  the  Lord's  Supper  was  ad- 
ministered, and  some  persons  were  added  to  the  Church. 
Among  them  was  a  small  boy.  I  had  never  seen  so 
youthful  a  communicant.  I  was  interested  to  know  his 
subsequent  history.  The  Monday  after  joining  the  Church, 
he  went  to  school  as  usual.  At  play-time  he  went  with  the 
rest  to  engage  in  their  usual  exercises.  Eut  the  old  contro- 
versy between  Cain  and  Abel  re\aved  with  virulenca  A 
number  of  the  boys  surrounded  him,  crying  in  bitter  scorn, 
'  Oh,  here  is  a  little  Christian  ! '  But  God  was  with  His 
young  servant,  and  enabled  him  to  bear  with  meekness  all 
these  taunts.  He  held  on  his  way,  and  is  now  at  the  head 
of  one  of  the  colleges  of  our  country  and  a  successful 
preacher  of  righteousness. 

"  The  last  visit  paid  me  by  Rev.  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander 
was  for  the  purpose  of  preaching  several  days  to  my  newly. 
formed  Church  in  Baltimore.  One  of  his  sermons  was  on 
love  to  Christ,  and  was  founded  on  i  Cor.  xvi.  22.  He 
began  his  sermon  by  saying,  *■  I  am  in  favour  of  early  taking 
children  to  the  house  of  God.  When  I  was  not  more  than 
four  years  old,  I  heard  a  minister  preach  on  this  text. 
From  the  time  he  began  his  sermon  I  was  interested  to 
know  the  meaning  of  Anathema-Mai-anatha — words  which 
I  had  never  heard  before — and  I  watched  till  he  gave  the 
usual  explanation,  and  I  never  forgot  it.*  Children  know 
more  than  we  are  apt  to  think.  I  remember,  too,  that  the 
excellent   John  Brown  of  Haddington  says,  *  About  the 


CHILDREN  NEED  S  YMPA  THY.  i6x 

eighth  year  of  my  age,  I  happened  in  a  crowd  to  push  into 
the  church  at  Abernethy  on  a  sacrament  Sabbath.  Then  it 
was  common  for  all  but  intending  communicants  to  be 
excluded.  Before  I  was  excluded,  I  heard  one  or  two 
tables  served  by  a  minister,  who  spoke  much  to  the  com- 
mendation of  Christ.  This  in  a  sweet  and  delightful 
manner  captivated  my  young  affections,  and  has  since  made 
me  think  that  children  should  never  be  kept  out  of  the 
church  on  such  occasions. 

"  Let  us  begin  early.  Let  us  call  young  sinners  to  re- 
pentance. Let  us  commend  Christ  to  their  tender  affections. 
Let  us   tell   them   they  must  hate   sin  and   love   Christ. 

*  Feed  My  sheep '  is  no  more  a  binding  command  than 

*  Feed  My  lambs.' 

"  Surely  little  children  greatly  need  not  only  the  comforts 
which  a  mother  can  give,  but  also'  those  which  the  Saviour 
gives.  I  know  not  how  it  was  with  others,  but  I  can  safely 
say  that  I  never  needed  the  supports  and  consolations  of 
true  religion  more  than  in  my  childhood,  though  I  had  the 
kindest  of  parents.  Perhaps  my  feeble  health  and  excited 
nerves  subjected  me  to  unusual  sadness.  However  this 
may  be,  I  find  no  persons  in  the  world  more  ready  to 
confess  their  need  of  special  comfort  than  children.  The 
Gospel  has  a  balm  for  every  wound,  a  cordial  for  every 
aching  heart.  Children  need  the  sympathy  of  Jesus.  If 
they  ask  for  it,  they  get  it  as  readily  as  their  parents. 
Every  child  has  sorrows  which  require  the  help  of  God,  and 
are  quite  beyond  the  power  of  man  to  relieve.  I  believe 
the  following  statement  is  correct,  and  insert  it  as  quite  to 
my  purpose : 

"What  do  you  do  without  a  mother  to  tell  all  your 
troubles  to  ?  "  asked  a  child  who  had  a  mother,  of  one  who 
had  not,  for  her  mother  was  dead. 

"  *  Before  she  died,  mother  told   me  to  whom  to  go,* 

zi 


tSa  THE  PIETY  OF  CHILDREN, 

answered  the  little  orphan ;  *  I  go  to  the  Lord  Jesus ;  He 
was  mo:her's  Friend,  and  He  is  mine.* 

"  *  Jesus  Christ  is  up  in  the  sky ;  He  is  away  ofT,  and 
has  a  great  many  things  to  attend  to  in  heaven.  It  is  not 
likely  He  can  stop  to  mind  you.' 

*< '  I  do  not  know  anything  about  that/  said  the  orphan  ; 
*  all  I  know  is,  He  says  He  will,  afid  that 's  enough  for  me.^ 

"  The  little  orphan  was  right  Jesus  Christ  was  once  a 
little  child.  He  remembers  and  knows  how  to  minister  to 
the  sorrows  of  childhood  as  well  as  those  of  riper  years.  It 
is  not  six  months  since  a  little  child,  not  three  years  old, 
v;hen  dying,  said  to  its  parents,  *  Papa,  mamma,  don't  cry  ; 
I  am  going  home.'  Who  can  doubt  that  Christ  is  with  such 
little  sufferers?  Why  should  it  be  thought  a  thing  in- 
credible that  the  great  Shepherd  should  be  very  tender  and 
peculiarly  near  to  His  dear  lambs  ? 

"  It  is  sometimes  said  that  the  piety  of  children  is  apt  to 
be  very  deficient  in  just  views  of  the  holiness  of  God.  This 
may  be  so.  But  is  not  this  lacking  also  in  the  piety  of  many 
adults?  Where  is  the  score  of  professors,  taken  promis- 
cuously in  any  church,  whose  piety  did  not,  from  the  first, 
need  great  improvement  in  this  respect?  Read  the  account 
of  Phcebe  Bartlett,  given  by  the  elder  President  Edwards, 
and  where  can  you  find  an  account  of  a  first  conversion, 
in  wliich  God  in  all  His  excellent  character  had  greater 
prominence  ?     I  know  not  of  any. 

*'  Others  have  thought  that  the  piety  of  children  was 
apt  to  be  very  deficient  in  the  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin. 
But  read  the  life  of  James  Laing,  written  by  McCheyne, 
and  tell  me  what  man  or  woman  ever  seemed  more  truly  to 
loathe  sin  in  the  inmost  soul. 

*•  Others  suggest  that  children  are  very  liable  to  self- 
deception  respecting  their  own  exercises  of  mind.  This  is 
true  of  persons  of  every  age,  and  is  a  good  reason  for 


YOUNG  CONVERTS  IN  THE  CHURCH,  163 

cnution  and  discrimination  in  all  cases,  but  cannot  justify  a 
discouraging  course  of  procedure  towards  the  early  religious 
impressions  of  children. 

"  Nor  does  it  seem  to  me  that  more  is  to  be  made  of 
the  appearance  of  a  desire  in  pious  children  to  be  free  from 
needless  and  unreasonable  restraints.  In  an  important 
sense  a  pious  child  is  to  be  regarded  and  treated  still  as 
a  child,  but  it  should  not  be  placed  under  a  system  of 
espionage  or  sitrvcillance.  Indeed,  no  child  should  be  dealt 
with  unreasonably. 

"In  fine,  I  can  sympathize  with  McCheyne  when  he 
says,  '  Jesus  has  reason  to  complain  of  us,  that  He  can  do 
no  mighty  work  in  our  Sabbath-schools,  because  of  our 
unbelief.  Let  us  pray  for  the  children.  Let  us  labour  for 
the  children.     Let  us  hope  for  the  children. 

"  I  trust  a  better  day  is  dawning.  One  excellent  and 
judicious  brother  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  a 
few  months  since,  received  forty  children  into  full  com- 
munion on  a  profession  of  their  faith.  I  trust  others  will 
have  good  cause  for  doing  similar  acts  of  love. 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  a  sober  discussion  of  the  subject 
of  early  piety  cannot  fail  to  be  useful.  It  is  interesting  to 
almost  every  family  that  is  not  wholly  given  to  worldliness. 

"A  gentleman  of  high  standing  in  one  of  the  churches 
of  New  York  writes  thus :  *  During  the  past  year,  our 
Church  has  been  gi'eatly  blessed  by  the  presence  with  us,  as 
we  believe,  cf  the  Holy  Spirit.  More  than  a  hundred  have 
been  hopefully  converted,  of  whom  a  goodly  number  were 
children,  and  considerably  more  than  half  members  of  the 
Sunday-school  and  Bible-classes.  I  think  we  have  had 
some  beautiful  cases  of  early  piety,  which  have  afforded  us 
examples  of  deep  conviction  of  sin,  and  implicit  trust  in  the 
simple  Word  of  God,  such  as  are  not  often  seen  in  oldei 


«64  **1  AMSO  WICKEDr 

" '  I  aslced  a  child,  "  How  do  you  know  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  will  receive  you,  if  you  have  truly  repented  of  sin  and 
are  trusting  in  Him  alone  for  salvation  ?  "  "  Why,  because 
He  says  so,"  was  the  reply.  I  asked  a  boy  who  was  speaking 
to  the  session  of  the  delight  he  took  in  prayer,  why  he  found 
it  necessary  to  pray  now,  seeing  he  hoped  his  sins  were 
forgiven,  and  he  had  resolved  henceforth  to  be  the  Lord's. 
He  looked  up  with  a  sorrowful  expression,  burst  into  tears, 
and  said,  "  Oh,  I  am  so  wicked,  I  could  not  get  along  at  all 
without  prayer." 

"  *  Some  of  these  children,  by  faithful  and  most  judicious 
efforts  in  behalf  of  others,  have  been  instrumental  in  doing 
much  good.  I  may  safely  say  to  you  that  the  most  satisfactory 
cases,  so  far  at  least  as  their  appearance  on  examination  for 
the  communion  is  concerned,  have  been  those  of  children 
and  quite  young  persons.' 

"  I  believe  the  following  statement  is  correct,  though  I 
cannot  at  present  vouch  for  it.  A  little  girl  was  not  well ; 
Ghe  said  she  was  in  pain.  Her  mother  told  her,  *  I  will  give 
you  some  medicine,  my  dear,  v/hich  will  make  you  quite 
well  to-morrow.'  Her  brother  was  present,  and  said,  *  Oh, 
no,  mamma,  medicine  alone  will  not  make  her  well.  When 
I  wns  ill  I  took  a  great  deal,  but  it  did  me  no  good  until  I 
prayed  to  God  to  viake  me  well,  and  then  I  was  better  the 
very  next  morning,  when  I  thanked  God  for  making  m.e 
better  ;  and  now  I  am  quite  v;ell,  and  so  will  Ann  be,  if  she 
prays  to  God.'  Though  this  boy  had  not  learned  to  limit 
the  efficacy  of  prayer  to  things  agreeable  to  God's  will — 
and  the  recovery  of  sick  children  is  not  always  so — yet  he 
practically  and  firmly  believed  in  the  insufficiency  of  means 
without  the  Divine  blessing. 

"On  the  whole,  so  far  as  we  have  liglit  on  this  subject, 
lot  us  walk  by  it.  Let  us  remember  that  out  of  the  mouths 
of  babes  and  sucklings  God  in  every  generation  ordains 


CHILDREN  REMAIMNG  STEADFAST,  165 

Strength.  Let  us  exhort  our  offspring,  and  earnestly  pray  to 
God  that  to  Him  they  may  give  the  dew  of  their  youth. 
*  Instead  of  the  fathers  shall  be  the  children.'  *  The  child 
shall  die  a  hundred  years  old.' 

*'  Who  can  doubt  that  as  the  millennium  approaches, 
much  more  when  it  shall  actually  come,  the  lambs  will  l:n  j^v 
the  voice  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  and  will  not  follow  a 
stranger. 

"Should  any  pervert  these  thoughts  to  purposes  of 
fanaticism,  or  anything  inconsistent  with  the  sobriety  of  the 
Gospel,  the  fault  will  be  his  own. 

*'  Let  us  all  pray  and  labour  for  the  early  con- 


FROM  DR.  R  H.  HELMER, 

*'  LocKPORT,  New  York,  Sept  22,  1877. 

"Dear  Brother, — I  believe  there  are  many  more 
saved  ones  as  the  result  of  those  meetings  in  1869  than 
there  were  then  thought  to  be,  and  many  more  than  will 
ever  be  known  in  this  world. 

"Many  who  have  since  confessed  Christ  before  men 
were  young  children  then,  and  I  well  remember  their  glad 
and  happy  smiles  of  joy  as  the  way  of  salvation  was  opened 
to  them  in  so  plain  a  manner  that  they  could  comprehend 
the  truth.  I^Lany  of  those  v/ho  have  since  united  with  the 
two  churches  (with  which  I  am  the  most  famihar),  have 
come  from  the  Sunday-schools,  and  many  of  these  I 
rem.ember  as  eager  listeners  to  'he  truth  as  presented  by 
you  at  that  time.  A  ver>  large  number  of  children  and 
youth  united  with  yaz  churches  at  that  time,  and  although 
some  have  wandered,  still  the  majority  are  firm,  and  true 
believers  and  workers  in  the  vineyard.  The  children  then 
converted  are,  as  a  rule,  better  workers  than  the  adults, 


z6«  RF.VIVAL  AMONG  THE  LITTLE  OXES. 

and  my  observation  leads  me  to  believe  this  to  be  true 
everywhere. 

**  I  am  sure  this  is  true  of  my  own  dear  children,  who,  I 
believe,  were  converted  at  that  time,  and  two  of  them  you 
know  were  very  young — AVillie  only  four  years  old. 

"  Yours  in  Jesus, 

"  R  H.  Helmer." 


JKEVIVAL  AMONG  THE  LITTLE  ONES, 
By  Rev.  G.  H.  Morse. 

"It  came  about  on  this  wise.  The  teachers  of  our 
Sabbath-school  met  together  to  pray  for  and  consult  as  to 
what  more  we  could  do  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
children  and  young  people.  It  w^as  decided  to  hold  class 
prayer  meetings.  Each  male  teacher  was  to  be  responsible 
for  the  conducting  of  the  meeting  with  his  class,  the  super- 
intendent being  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  the  meetings 
of  classes  taught  by  female  teachers. 

"  The  meetings  commenced  in  private  houses ;  but  soon 
it  became  apparent  that  larger  room  must  be  sought,  and 
we  were  obliged  to  go  to  our  mission  schoolroom.  From 
the  first  meeting  religious  interest  was  manifested  \  the  chil- 
dren were  deeply  affected  and  in  tears. 

"  Dr.  Todd's  *  Lectures  to  Children  *  were  read  to 
them,  remarks  m^ade  upon  the  subject  thus  introduced, 
prayers  offered  interspersed  with  singing.  Soon  the  inquiry 
arose  from  many  hearts,  "WTiat  must  I  do  to  be  saved? 
Ard  after  each  meeting  personal  conversation  was  had  with 
those  who  wished  it  Our  Sabbath  service  was  followed 
by  prayer  and  inquiry  meetings.  A  deep  and  quiet 
interest  pervaded  each  session  of  the  school.  Conversions 
were  frequent,  till  soon  twenty-five  were  rejoicing  in  a  neiy- 
(bund  Saviour. 


•- JESUS  WAS  there:*  xS7 

«  Beside  the  class  prayer  raeeting,  the  teachers'  prayer 
meeting  was  kept  up  during  the  religious  interest,  and 
several  appointed  special  seasons  of  prayer,  each  agreeing  to 
be  in  his  closet  at  a  certain  hour  each  day,  pouring  out 
their  hearts  to  God  for  each  individual  member  of  their 
classes,  expressed  by  name.  The  children,  also,  deeply 
pervaded  by  the  Holy  Spirit's  influence,  of  their  own  accord 
met  together,  and  prayed  for  their  classes,  teachers,  and  the 
uncdhverted  members  of  the  school ;  spending  a  half  hour 
thus,  at  some  private  house,  on  Sabbath  afternoon  before 
the  session  of  the  school;  meeting  also  on  Wednesday 
afternoon  for  the  same  purpose. 

"  An  incident  connected  v/ith  this  meeting  illustrates  the 
faith  of  the  children.  They  were  under  ten  years  of  age. 
'Ihe  Sabbath  after  their  first  meeting  one  of  them  said  to 
her  teacher. 

"  We  had  a  little  prayer  meeting  last  week." 
"  *  Had  you  ? '  said  the  teacher.     *  Who  was  there?' 
"  The  little  girl  mentioned  the  names  of  two  schoolmates, 
**  *  Was  that  all  ?  '  asked  the  teacher. 
"  *  No,'  was  the  quick  reply ;  *  there  was  one  more.' 
"  *  And  who  was  that? '  asked  the  teacher. 
"  *  Jesus,'  said  the  child. 

*'  *  But,'  said  the  teacher,  *  how  do  you  know  Jesus  was 
there  ? ' 

"* Because,'  she  replied,  *He  has  said,  "Where  two 
or  three  are  gathered  together  in  My  name,  there  am  I  in 
the  midst  of  them,"  and  we/^//  He  was  there.' 

"The  genuineness  of  the  conversion  which  took  place 
became  apparent,  not  only  in  their  countenances  and  words, 
but  in  little,  though  touching  acts  of  kindness  towards  each 
other  at  school,  and  in  a  very  marked  change  in  their 
behaviour  at  home,  to  which  their  parents  bore  witness 
While  this  was  a  mission   school,  most  of  these  converts 


i63  PRESIDENT  CHADBOURNR. 

subsequently  connected  themselves,  we  believe,  with  some 
church. 

"The  measures  adopted  to  bring  about  this  religious 
interest  were  such  as  might  be  made  practicable  in  Sabbath- 
schools  where  there  are  also  church  privileges.  The  class 
prayer  meeting,  not  directly  after  the  Methodist  order, 
though  that  is  good,  may  become  a  helpful  aid  to  the 
teacher  in  making  the  spiritual  application  of  the  truths 
taught  on  the  Sabbath.  Try  it,  teacher.  Try  it,  super- 
intendent" 


FROM  PRESIDENT  P,  A,  CHADBOURNE. 

"Williams  College, 5<^/.  29,  1877. 
"My  dear  Brother  Hammond, — I  doubt  not  the 
Great  Master  is  still  saying  to  His  disciples,  '  Suffer  little 
children  to  come  unto  Me.'  How  young  children  may  be 
converted  no  one  can  tell ;  but  we  may  be  sure  that  it  is 
not  the  will  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  that  the  child  should 
walk  a  single  hour  in  conscious  rebellion  against  Him. 
That  Spirit  that  maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groanings 
that  cannot  be  uttered,  even  that  blessed  Spirit  that  leads 
into  all  truth,  can  lead  the  little  child  to  the  Saviour,  long 
before  it  can  understand  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  as  set 
forth  in  Church  creeds  or  as  explained  by  loving  lips.  The 
child  can  have,  in  a  large  degree,  that  blessed  experience 
which  every  Christian  must  have  in  some  measure,  of  doing 
His  will  and  then  knowing  of  the  doctrine.  I  have  full 
faith  In  the  conversion  of  very  young  children.  The  con- 
version can  be  shown  owly  by  subsequent  fruits  and  by 
growth  in  the  Christian  life  as  the  intellectual  life  is  deve- 
loped. It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  have  the  early  years  con- 
fessedly given  to  Christ,  to  have  the  child  feel  the  power 
of  the  divine  life  increasing  as  all  tlie  powers  of  body  and 


REV.  DR.  PEASE.   '  l6? 

mind  increase,  bringing  them  into  sweet  subjection  to  God's 
holy  law,  and  into  willing,  joyful  service  in  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom. — Very  truly,  your  friend  and  brother, 

"P.  A.  Chadbourne." 


REV.  DR.  PEASE, 

w!io  latoured  for  several  years  as  an  evangelist  in  New  England,  gives 
us  his  testimony  with  regard  to  the  perseverance  in  a  course  of  piety,  of 
children  converted  in  revivals  about  thirty-iive  years  ago,  as  follows : 

"  RocKviLLE,  Connecticut,  Sept.  12, 1877.. 

•*Dear  Brother, — At  your  request  I  will  state  the 
result  of  my  observation  respecting  perseverance  in  piety, 
of  persons  converted  in  early  childhood. 

"  I  frequently  saw  in  seasons  of  revival  numerous  cases 
of  children,  of  six  years  of  age  and  upwards,  giving  evidence 
of  the  regenerating  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  distinct  and 
clear  as  in  the  case  of  those  in  adult  years. 

"  After  careful  observation,  I  have  found  cases  of  defec- 
tion from  a  correct  religious  life  as  infrequent  among  chil- 
dren as  among  those  corverted  at  a  later  period  of  life. 

"  A  case  in  illustration. 

"In  my  pastoral  visits,  I  found  a  mother  with  three 
daughters,  the  eldest  of  whom  was  not  over  nine  years  of 
age.  Had  conversation  with  the  mother  and  children, 
chiefly  with  the  eldest. 

"After  leaving  the  house,  as  afterv/avds  the  mother 
informed  me,  the  second  daughter  said,  *  Mother,  I  don't 
think  our  pastor  thought  that  I  was  old  enough  to  become 
a  Christian,  as  he  didn't  say  anything  to  me.  But  I  think 
I  can  give  my  heart  to  Jesus,  and  become  a  Christian  as 
well  as  ray  older  sister.*  She  did  give  her  heart  to  the 
Saviour,  as  well  as  her  sister,  and  both  gave  equally  sntis- 
tactory  evidence  of  true  conversion  to  God.'' 

*'G.  Fease." 


I70  EARLY  CONVERSIONSi 

FROM  REV.  %  B.  SHAW,  D.D. 

**  Rochester,  Oct.  2,  1877, 

"My  DEAR  BpxOTIIER, — I  believe  that  children  may 
and  should  grow  up  in  the  love  and  fear  of  the  Lord.  Not 
only  that  they  may  be  converted  early  fhxsX  so  early  2iS  not  to 
know  when  the  change  takes  place. 

"  Never  yet  in  all  my  ministry  have  I  kept  a  little  child 
waiting  on  the  doorstep  of  the  Church,  if  he  gave  me  any 
satisfactory'  evidence  that  he  loved  the  Saviour,  and  was 
trusting  in  Ilim ;  and  I  believe  it  is  a  growing  conviction, 
that  those  are  the  best  Christians  who  come  earliest  to 
THE  Lord  and  earliest  into  the  Church. 

**  And  I  believe  still  further,  that  it  is  the  unbelief  of 
THE  Church  which  is  keeping  so  many  of  these  dear  ones 
away,  from  Christ. 

"It  is  the  old  scene  over  again;  instead  of  bringing 
little  children  to  the  Saviour  that  He  may  take  them  up  in 
His  arms,  and  put  His  hands  upon  them,  and  bless  them, 
we  chide  those  who  are  trying  to  do  it,  as  if  a  child  could 
be  too  young  to  receive  the  Lord's  blessing. 

"  I  believe  in  the  Master.  I  believe  also  in  the  work  of 
His  servant — my  dear  friend  and  brother,  E.  P.  H. 

«*  Yours, 

"James  B.  Shaw." 


FROM  11 R.  WM,  REYNOLDS, 

"  Peoria,  Illinois,  Sept.  29,  1877. 
"  Dear  Brother, — More  than  eleven  years  have  passed 
since  you  laboured  here.  A  large  number  of  children  pro- 
fessed conversion  at  that  time.  Some  of  them  are  in  the 
world,  not  supporting  their  profession  by  their  works. 
Others  have  grown  up  into  strongy  earnest  Christians^  good 


TRAINING  YOUNG  CONVERTS.  171 

workers  in  the  Church  and  Sunday-school,  The  difTerence 
is,  in  the  attention  they  received  after  professing 
Christ. 

"  Those  who  united  with  churches  who  believe  in  con- 
version in  childhood,  and  looked  after  them,  instructing 
them  in  the  doctrines  of  God's  Word,  organizing  them  into 
bands  of  Christian  workers,  showing  them  how  to  work, 
etc.,  are  to-day  living  witnesses  of  the  truth  of  their 
profession.  Others  who  were  neglected  went  back  to  the 
world. 

"We  want  to  use  common  sense  in  this  matter  of 
Christian  training.  I  have  as  much  confidence  in  the 
conversion  of  children  as  adults,  and  I  think  God's  Word 
supports  us  in  this  opinion. 

"  Glad  to  hear  from  you.  God  bless  you  in  your  work 
everywhere,  and  all  the  time  is  my  prayer. 

"  Yours, 

"Wm.  Reynolds." 

I  am  not  surprised  at  what  Mr.  Reynolds  writes  about  those 
children  not  holding  out,  who  were  neglected  after  professing  con- 
version.— E.  P,  H, 


FROM  REV,  E,  F.  HATFIELD^  D.D, 

"  New  York,  October  13,  1877. 
•*  Rev.  E.  P.  Hammond. 

"  Dear  Brother, — I  rejoice  greatly  that  God  has  pul 
it  into  your  heart  to  seek  so  faithfully  the  conversion  of  the 
rising  generation,  in  the  days  of  their  childhood  and  early 
youth.  And  I  rejoice  still  more  in  the  fact  that  God  has 
crowned  your  labours  in  this  direction  with  such  remarkable 
Buccess,     May  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  spaie  you 


Z79  NOTHING  TOO  HARD, 

long,  and  give  you  still  more  abundant  grace,  to  gather  the 
little  ones  into  the  fold  of  the  Good  Shepherd. 

«  <  Why  should  it  be  thought  a  thing  incredible '  that 
little  children  should  be  made  the  subjects  of  renewing  and 
saving  grace ;  that  they  should  intelligently  apprehend,  and 
effectually  receive,  the  simple  truths  of  the  Gospel  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.     *  Is  anything  too  hard  for  the  Lord  ? ' 
said  a  worthy  member  of  my  Church  on  one  occasion,  when 
I  was  talking  with  him  about  several  cases  of  conversion 
j  that  had  recently  taken  place  among  the  children  of  the 
I  congregation.      *  Too  hard ! '    I  replied.     *  Why,  my  dear 
■  brother,  what  a  mistake  \  it  is  in  the  case  only  of  the  full- 
grown  sinner,  whose  habits  of  disobedience  and  unbelief 
have  been  confirmed  by  constant  and  long-continued  repeti- 
tion, that  such  a  question  is  appropriate.     In  the  case  of 
the  simple-hearted   child  and  the   ingenuous  youth,  it  is 
altogetlier  (;ul  of  place.* 

"The  instances  of  such  conversion  are  quite  too 
numerous  at  the  present  day,  and  too  well  assured,  to  be 
called  in  question.  In  the  gi-acious  visitations  of  the  Spirit 
with  which  it  has  pleased  God  so  abundantly  of  late  to  bless 
the  churches  of  Great  Britain  and  America,  quite  a  large 
number  of  little  ones  have  been  hopefully  converted,  and 
are  now  bringing  forth  the  appropriate  fruits  of  the  Spirit. 
Nor  is  this  a  '  new  thing  under  the  sun.'  The  history  of 
the  Church,  in  almost  every  age,  furnishes  ample  testimony 
to  the  practicability  and  genuineness  of  early  conversion. 

"The  venerable  divine,  whose  pastoral  ministrations  I 
enjoyed  in  my  younger  years,  and  whose  most  useful  life 
was  prolonged  more  than  fourscore  years,  was  converted  in 
the  eleventh  year  of  his  age.  So  he  told  me,  fifty  years  ago, 
when,  with  many  other  children  of  a  tender  age,  I  was  in 
attendance  on  one  of  his  inquiry  meetings.  Ivly  own  appre- 
hensions of  the  guilt  of  sin  and  of  the  need  of  salvation,  as 


INSTANCES  OF  CHILD  CONVERSION,  173 

well  as  of  the  atonement  made  for  sin,  were,  as  I  distinctly 
ivimember,  both  clear  and  scriptural.  The  beloved  pastor 
of  one  of  our  city  churches  was  brought  under  conviction  of 
sin,  as  he  once  told  me,  at  seven  years  of  age,  and  after  a 
considerable  struggle  with  unbelief,  he  was  presently  con- 
verted and  admitted  to  the  fellowship  of  the  Church.  Two, 
at  least,  of  my  own  beloved  children  gave  abundant  evidence 
of  their  living  '  in  the  fold  '  before  they  had  completed  their 
tenth  year.  A  ministry  of  nearly  half  a  centurj^  has  furnished 
me  with  numerous  similar  examples. 

"  That  such  cases  may  be  indefinitely  multiplied,  and 
that  all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  may  be  led  to 
expect,  and  pray,  and  labour,  for  the  early  conversion  of  the 
little  ones,  is  the  prayer  of 

**  Yours  in  the  Lord  Jesus, 

**  Edwin  F.  Hatfield." 


FI^OM  REV.  I.  N.   CARMAN, 
Pastor  of  the  North  Baptist  Church,  Indianapolis. 

«  Indianapolis,  Oct.  18,  1877. 
"Rev.  E.  P.  Hammond. 

"  Dear  Brother, — I  am  glad  to  hear  of  your  proposed 
work  on  the  '  Conversion  of  Children.'  I  have  four  children 
who  gave  clear  evidence  of  conversion  at  the  ages  of  eight, 
six,  ten,  and  nine  years.  Very  speedily  they  asked,  every 
one  of  them,  the  privilege  of  Church  membership,  and 
received  it.  As  I  did  not  think  their  physical  welfare  likely 
to  be  furthered  at  their  birth  by  living  in  the  barn  instead  o 
my  house,  I  did  not  favour  any  corresponding  policy  at 
their  second  birth.  I  may  thankfully  testify  that  from  six 
to  tv/elve  years'  experience  since  these  children  started  in 
Christian  and  Church  life,  satisfies  me  more  and  more  con- 
tinually, that  ordinarily  the  conversion  of  little  children  may 


174  CHURCH  TRAINING, 

not  only  be  properly  laboured  for,  prayed  for,  and  confi« 

dently  expected,  but  that,  with  due  home  and  Church  trainings 
such  converts  glorify  God  and  bless  the  world  greatly  more 
than  do  those  converted  at  mature  age.  Indeed,  I  have 
been  led  to  seriously  question  whether  it  is  not  a  censurable 
presumption  to  claim  the  promise  *  he  will  not  depart  from 
it,'  for  the  child  who  is  but  trained  for  instead  of  in  the 

*  way  he  should  go.'  Till  my  child  is  i7i  Christ,  *  the  Way^ 
I  dare  not  hope  to  train  him  in  the  way  he  should  go. 

"  I  may  add  that  a  good  deal  of  pastoral  experience  in 
receiving  children  into  the  Chiwch  on  their  profession  of  Christ, 
and  afterwards  trying  to  train  them,  strengthens  rny  belief 
not  only  in  the  wisdom,  but  the  urgent  necessity  of  such 
additions  to  our  churches.  But,  consistently  with  this,  I 
make  persotial  care  of  my  young  people's  meetings  a  marked 
specialty  of  my  ministry. 

"  But  you  want  facts  *  bearing  on  these  points,'  net 
theories. 

"  It  is  a  fact  that  we  had  the  influence  of  your  book, 

*  Children  in  Jesus,'  in  our  household  in  the  infancy  of  my 
children.  It  is  a  fact  that  the  youngest  boy  I  ever  received 
into  the  Church  seemed  called  to  the  ministry  at  once,  and 
became  a  strong  and  steadfast  helper  of  his  pastor  while 
growing  up. 

"It  is  a  fact  that  the  youngest  little  girl  I  ever  so 
received  testified  to  having  loved  Jesus  from  the  time  she 
first  knew  He  died  for  her,  and  lives  loving  Him  still.  God 
bless  you  and  your  book  I 

^  In  Gospel  bonds,  L  N.  Carman." 


Books  ly  the  Rev.  E.  P.  HAMMOND, 

THE  CHILDEEN'S  EVAl^GELIST. 


the: 


/CONVERSION 


-OF— 


W^ith  Hundreds  of  Incidents. 


N 


PtEV.  E.  P,  HAMMOND,  the  Chtldken's  Eyangelist. 

EVERY  PREACHER,  TEACHER  AND  PARENT  SHOULD 
HAVE  THIS  BOOK. 

Paper  Bound,  30  cents  ;    Cloth  Bound,  75  cents. 


C0^4TENTS. 


Chap.  I.— The  Conversion  of  Children. 

Chap.  II.— How  Early  may  Children  be  led  to  Christ  ? 

Chap.  III.— Will  Children  Continue  Steadfast? 

Chap.  IV.  How  can  Children  be  Led  to  Christ? 

Chap,  v.— Preaching  to  Children. 

Chap.  VI.— Hov/  Early  may  Converted  Children  Join  the  Church  ? 

Chap.  VII.— The  Influence  of  Children. 

Chap.  VIII.— Testimonies   About  the  "Work  and  from   Children 
ThemBclves. 

Chap.  IX.— Testimonies  from  Ministers. 


Significant  and  Suggestive  Testimonials. 
Rev.  C.  H.  SPURGEON  says : 

"  My  conviction  is  that  our  converts  from  among  children 
are  the  very  best  we  have.  I  should  judge  them  to  be  more 
numerously  genuine  than  any  other  class,  more  constsnt, 
and  in  the  long  run  more  solid." 

MARK  HOPKINS,  D.  D.,  says  : 

"I  wish  it  great  success." 

RICHARD  NEWTON,  D.  D.,  says  : 

"  I  do  believe  in  the  early  conversion  of  children." 

D.  L.  MOODY,  the  Evangelist,  says : 

"  I  fully  believe  in  the  conversion  of  children." 

President  CHADBOURNE,  of  Williams 
College,  says : 

'<  I  have  full  faith  in  the  conversion  of  children. 

"aONS  HERALD,  Boston,  says: 

*'  It  is  a  useful  and  suggestive  volume." 

The  CHRISTIAN  ADVOCATE,  N.Y.,  says: 

*•  The  book  will  do  good." 

The  CHICAGO  ADVANCE  says  : 

"Even  very  young  children  can  become  intelligent  and 
earnest  disciples  of  Christ." 

The  CHRISTIAN  AT  WORK,  N.Y.,  says : 

"A  careful  perusal  must  convince  the  most  skeptical 
mind,  not  only  that  young  children  are  converted,  but  a 
full  belief  in  the  possibility  of  yery  young  childj*ea  being 
converted/* 


The     CHRISTIAN     ADVOCATE,     Pitts- 
burgh,  says  : 

"Parents  will  find  this  work  material  for  most  i)rofitable 
reflection." 

The  METHODIST,  N.  Y.,  says  : 

"The  excellence  of  the  work  is  that  it  gathers  up  a  large 
body  of  experience  and  of  opinion  upon  the  important 
theme." 

The    FOUNTAIN,    Dr.  Joseph  Parker's, 
London,  says : 

"The  facts  and  narratives  here  furnished  cannot  long  be 
ignored." 

The  CHRISTIAN  AT  W^ORK,  England, 
says : 

"  This  book  is  written  for  adults,  and  siDecially  for  those 
engaged  in  Sabbath-school  teaching,  or  other  work  for  the 
soul's  good  of  children.  Wise  and  precious  counsels  are 
presented  to  parents  and  guardians  of  youth  for  the  godly 
u^ bringing  of  the  children  committed  to  their  care." 

The  PENUEL,  England  say    : 

"We  devoutly  wish  that  by  some  means  or  other  a  copy 
could  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  every  Sunday-school  Super- 
intendent and  every  Pastor  of  a  Church." 


PUBLISHERS, 

lO  &  12  Dey  Street,  New  York. 


0  T  H  li:  (y 


JESUS. 


By   Rev.  MTM.  REID,    M.    A., 

— WITH  AN — 

IT«fTE.0I>UCT50IS 

— ^BT — 

Rev.  EDAATARD  PAYSON  HAMMOND. 

Price  in  Paper,  10  cents  ;  Cloth,  40  cents. 


This  most  precious  volume  has  reached  a  circulation  of 
over  500,000  in  this  country  and  in  Great  Britain.  It  has 
jwso  been  translated  into  various  foreign  languages. 

In  issuing  this  edition  at  a  reduced  price,  we  desire  to 
place  it  in  the  hands  of  every  person  within  our  reach.  We 
know  of  no  work  that  more  clearly  and  helpfully  sets  forth, 
in  language  that  alJ  oaa  mderstand,  the  ground  of  joeace 
with  God. 


In    the    Introduction    Mr.   HAMMOND 
says : 

"  While  in  Scotland  I  often  met  with  those  who  spoke  of 
it  as  having  been  used  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  leading  them 
to  rest  solely  upon  the  tiuished  wrrk  of  Christ  as  the  only 
ground  of  their  acceptance  with  God. 

"It  was  my  privilege  to  spend  several  months  with  the 
author  in  scenes  made  both  solemn  and  joyful  by  the 
mighty  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  Avhere  hundreds 
and  even  thousands  v/fre  asking  (he  question,  '  What  shall 
I  do  to  be  saved? '  or  rejoicing  to  find,  bj''  happy  experience, 
that  '  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  Rls  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin.' 

*'  When,  therefore,  the  author  intrusted  me  with  his  favor- 
ite work  for  publication  in  America,  I  could  but  feel 
thankful  for  this  opportunity  of  extending  the  field  of  its 
usefulness." 

It  is  intensely  objective,  holding  up  continually  to  the 
sinner's  gaze,  "  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sin 
of  the  world." 

Volumes  might  be  -^Titten  in  speaking  of  the  vast  amount 
of  good  this  book  has  accomplished.  It  has  been  the  means 
of  leading  multitudes  to  Christ,  and  it  has  taught  thousands 
of  ministers  and  Christians  how  to  hold  tip  Christ  in  such 
a  way  that  sinners  are  drawn  to  him.  60,000  were  circulated 
by  the  Christian  Commission  in  tJie  prmy  during  the  war. 

Mr.  Hammond  was  the  first  who  introduced  it  in  this 
country.  It  is  now  being  largely  'Circulated  in  the  place  of 
*' James'  Anxious  Inquirer."  Good  judges  pronounce  it  on 
the  whole  a  better  and  more  practical  book  than  Br. 
J.  A.  James'  excellent  work. 

Says  President  Hopkins,  of  Williams  College:  "  It  is  the  truo 
view  of  the  Gospel,  and  adapted  to  do  great  |o  :id." 

"<',mo,   io8  pages  ;    Price,  postaj:e  free,  bound  in 
Manila,   .  . .  .cents. 


FUNK  &  WAGNALLS.  Publishers, 
10  &  12  Dey  Street,  NEW  YORK, 


-THE 


IDE 


TO  HEAVEN. 

OE, 

STORIES  FOR  CHILDREN. 

BY 

REV.  E.  PAYSON  HAMMOSTD, 

THE    CHILDRSN^S   KVANGSLIST. 

PRICE,  IN  PAPER,  loCts.;    LEATHERETTE  25  Cts. 


The  object  of  this  precious  little  book  is  to  show 
children  the  way  to  Jesus,  who  is  "The  Child's 
Guide  to  Heaven."  It  is  replete  with  Bible  truth 
and  forcible  illustrations,  abounding  throughout 
with  those  tender  persuasives  which  draw  young 
hearts  to  the  Savior. 


READ  WHAT  OTHERS  SAY  OE  THIS  WORK. 

*«  This  is  one  of  the  sweetest  and  best  of  boots  for  chil- 
dren, explaining  the  way  to  be  saved  in  such  very  simple 


language,  that  it  would  seem  strange  for  the  very  youngest 
not  to  comprehend." — Edigious  Herald. 

' '  The  book  is  one  well  suited  both  to  interest  children 
aud  lead  them  to  the  Savior." — S.  S.  Tinus. 

"This  is  really  a  delightful  book.  It  is  a  book  for  the 
young,  written  by  one  who  has  learned  by  long  experience, 
and  by  intense  de  light  in  the  work,  how  to  find  his  waj'^  to  the 
hearts  of  children,  and  lead  them  in  the  road  to  Heaven." — 
Berwick  Warder. 

"Little  ones  cannot  but  be  deeply  interested  in  the 
author's  narrative,  which  is  written  in  a  language  the  most 
appropriate  for  a  child's  understanding." — Sunday  Teachers' 
Ti  easury. 

"We  admire  the  simplicity  and  earnestness  of  this  work. 
It  is  broken  bread  adapted  to  the  youngest  minds,  and 
those  who  read  what  is  herein  written  will  be  both  fed  and 
fxied." —Evangelical  Theology. 

"Mr.  Hammond  has  a  special  gift  of  talking  to  children 
on  religious  subjects.  His  stories  are  simply  told,  pointed 
and  impressive,  appealing  to  the  intelligence  and  the  heart." 
Journal  and  Messenger. 


?mK  S,  WAQNALLS,  Publishers. 

lO  &  12  Dey  Street,  N.  Y. 


A   NEW  BOOK   FOR   CHILDREN. 


GATHERED  LAMBS. 

SHOWING  HOW   JESUS,  "THE  GOOD   SHEPHERD/ 

LAID   DOWN   HIS  LIFE  FOR  US,  AND    HOW 

MANY  LITTLE  LAMBS   HAVE    BEEN 

(FATHERED  INTO  HIS  FOLD. 

BY  REV.  EDWARD  PA&OIf  HAMMOND, 

Author  of  "  ChilcVs  Guide^''  '•'•Blood  of  Jestcs,'''  ^^  Conversion,  of 
Children,'"  etc. 

12nio,    176   pp.     Paper,    10   cents;    clotlt,   40   cents. 


OPINIONS   OF  CRITICS. 


rresbijterian  Observer,  Bal- 
timore : 
"  In  this  volume  IMr.  Hammond 
blends  in  a  charming  manner  short 
btories  and  interesting  anecdotes, 
illuminating  them  all  with  the 
tihining  rays  of  Gospel  Truth." 

Interior,   CJticago : 

■'  A  series  of  stories  for  children 
by  one  ;vho  has  had  a  large  expe- 
rience with  them,  and  who  knows 
exactly  how  to  gain  and  hold  their 
attention.  The  children  will  be 
delighted  with  the  book." 


Evangelical  Messenger, Cleve- 
land : 
"  In  a  simple,  clear,  and  illustra- 
tive style, with  apt,  telling  incidents 
and  ])ertinent  application,  it  is  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  fasten  saving 
truth  upon  the  young  mind." 

St.  Louis  Evangelist : 

"  This  book  has  been  read  by 
thousands  with  delight  and  encour- 
agement. It  is  Scriptural,  tender, 
impressive  in  style.  It  will  direct 
attention  to  th^J  guiding  of  children 
into  the  shepherd's  fold." 


11B54GH   928 

05-22-02  32180      MS 


